two reports must either be false or fail to imply any contradiction with the other.

As for the overarching fundamentals—such as the command to worship Allah alone with no partner, to show kindness to parents, to speak the truth, to uphold justice, and the prohibition of the four categories of evil: indecency, whether open or concealed; sin; wrongful aggression; and associating partners with Allah and speaking of Him without right—these very principles are listed in the surahs al-Anʿām, al-Aʿrāf, and Banī Isrāʾīl.

People have disagreed about such matters: Can they be abrogated, and may the revealed laws differ with respect to them? There are two opinions.

Those who hold that Allah may command absolutely anything and forbid absolutely anything, attributing this solely to pure will rather than to attributes that necessitate commanding this and not that, allow for the possibility of abrogation here and for diversity among the laws. This is the position of Jahm ibn Ṣafwān, al-Ashʿarī, and some of their followers among the jurists affiliated with Mālik, al-Shāfiʿī, and Aḥmad, even though they also say that, as a matter of fact, no abrogation has actually occurred in these fundamentals.

The vast majority of scholars, early and later alike, do not allow abrogation or a variety of legal rulings in these core principles. For this reason the religion of the prophets is one, as the Exalted says:

“O messengers, eat of the good things and act righteously; indeed, I am fully aware of what you do.” ⦗23:51⦘ (51)

and,

“Indeed, this community of yours is one community, and I am your Lord, so fear Me.” ⦗23:52⦘