whereas the opinions of anyone else, at best, are merely permissible to follow and never binding (1); how much less may they be set in opposition to the textual proofs and preferred over them. We seek Allah’s refuge from such loss.

Allah, exalted is He, says: “Say: ‘Obey Allah and obey the Messenger. But if you turn away, he is only responsible for what he has been charged with, and you are responsible for what you have been charged with. If you obey him, you will be rightly guided; and the Messenger’s duty is only to convey the message clearly.’” (24:54) (2)

Thus the Almighty informs us that guidance exists solely (3) in obeying the Messenger and in nothing else. The promise of guidance is linked to a condition; when the condition is absent, the result is absent. This is not—contrary to what many people mistakenly assume—a case of inference from implied meaning (dalālat al-mafhum) that would need (4) the preliminary establishment (5) of that implication’s probative force. Rather, it is a ruling explicitly arranged (6) upon a condition and suspended on it: it simply does not exist without its condition, for whatever is made conditional is nonexistent when the condition is missing; otherwise it would not be a condition at all. Once this is understood, the verse is an unequivocal text affirming that there is no guidance when he is not obeyed.

In the repetition of the verb in His words, “Say: Obey Allah and obey the Messenger,” instead of sufficing with the first occurrence, lies a subtle secret and a great benefit which we shall mention shortly, Allah willing.

As for His statement, “But if they turn away, then he is only responsible for what he has been charged with,” the verb is directed to the addressees