—the Most High—has put an end to it. Therefore, it is not permissible for us to worship Allah by means of something that Allah has not approved to remain as a law for us.
The third category is that concerning which our law contains neither confirmation nor contradiction. The scholars differ as to whether it constitutes law for us or not. Some say that it is not law for us, since the basic principle is that our law abrogated what came before it; thus, the previous laws do not remain binding except for what our law has endorsed and affirmed.
Others say that it is law for us. This is the preponderant view—indeed, the view that must be adopted—because, after mentioning the messengers, Allah says:
“Those are the ones whom Allah has guided, so follow their guidance.” [al-An‘am: 90]
This is general in meaning. Allah also says:
“Certainly in their stories there is a lesson for people of understanding. It is not an invented tale.” [Yusuf: 111]
But does it constitute law for us by virtue of the earlier legislation or the later legislation? The answer is that it constitutes law by virtue of the later legislation, because we have cited evidence from the Book of Allah and the sunnah of His Messenger (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) to establish that it has been affirmed. The difference between this and the first category, then, is that the first is expressly stipulated in the Sacred Law, whereas this is mentioned only in general terms.
Or whoever reviles Allah or His Messenger has disbelieved, ......................
His statement, “or reviles Allah,” means: describing Him with a defect. The gravest form of revilement is to curse Allah—may Allah protect us—or to object to His universal decrees or His legislative rulings by finding fault with them, even by way of insinuation and indirect allusion. Even if it is merely an indirect allusion, such a person has disbelieved, because this is an affront to the majesty of divine lordship, and it is a grave matter. Thus, whoever reviles Allah, whether verbally or by gesture, whether serious or jesting—indeed, reviling Allah in jest is even more grievous and serious—has disbelieved, for Allah says:
“And if you ask them, they will surely say, ‘We were only engaging in idle talk…”