Surat al-Sajdah: “Second: that He guided them by what He commanded through the tongue of His Messenger—peace and blessings be upon him—not by the dictates of their own intellects, opinions, political schemes, personal tastes, or by the blind imitation of their forefathers without any proof from Allah; for He said: yahdūna bi-amrinā (they are guided by Our command) (al-Sajdah 32:24).” p. 19.
He further states, regarding the same verse: “This is clear evidence that they followed what Allah revealed to His Messenger and were guided by it alone, excluding every other statement, opinion, doctrine, or school; in fact, they are guided only by His command in particular.” p. 26.
He then devoted a separate chapter to following and emulating [the Messenger]. Among his words there: “…Even when authentic hadiths and the Prophetic sunnah support his position, they pay no attention and say, ‘We are adherents of the school of so-and-so.’ This will not avail one before Allah, nor will it be deemed an excuse for anyone who neglects the sunnah that has reached him, for Allah—glorified is He—has only commanded obedience to His Messenger and following him alone; He never ordered the following of anyone else…” p. 42.
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A further hallmark of his method is the absence of fanatic attachment to any particular school (1). The previous passage is clear evidence of this.
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Another characteristic is that he presents the scriptural texts first and then derives rulings from them, contrary to the practice of many jurists, past and present, who state the issue first and then support it with proof (2). This approach appears in the treatise on pp. 16–27.