Do not imagine, you follower of the Khawārij, that this is a doctrine anyone may adopt at whim; it only drags its votary to ruin and lays him bare.

Nor be a Murji’ī who toys with his religion—indeed, the Murji’ī is merely making sport of the faith. (1)

Declare instead: “Faith is speech, inward resolve, and outward deed,” a truth explicitly affirmed by the Prophet.

It wanes at times through disobedience, then, through obedience, it grows and becomes weightier on the Balance.

Leave aside the opinions and conjectures of men, for the word of the Messenger of Allah is worthier and far clearer.

And do not join a people who make a pastime of their religion, only to stab at the People of Hadith and cast aspersions upon them.

If, my friend, you hold fast to these convictions throughout your life, you will spend your nights and mornings upon goodness. (2)

We were informed by Abū al-Maʿālī Aḥmad ibn al-Muʾayyad (3) in Egypt; he told us that al-Fatḥ ibn ʿAbd al-Salām informed him; Hibat Allāh ibn al-Ḥusayn informed us; Aḥmad ibn Muḥammad ibn al-Naqqūr al-Bazzāz narrated to us; ʿĪsā ibn ʿAlī related to us; ʿAbd Allāh ibn Sulaymān ibn al-Ashʿath dictated to us in the year 314 AH; Muḥammad ibn Sulaymān Luwayn narrated to us; Sulaymān ibn Bilāl narrated from Abū Wajzah, from ʿUmar ibn Abī Salamah, who said:

The Messenger of Allah said to me, “My boy, come closer, eat with your right hand, eat from what is directly in front of you, and mention Allah’s name.”

Abū Dāwūd also recorded it (4) through Luwayn, and our chain is higher.