in order to force them (1) to fall in line with the opinion of Jahm (2), whose starting premise was that the Qur’an is a created thing; they even punished anyone who would not agree with them on this.

It is patently clear—by the self-evident knowledge of the Muslim faith—that such behavior is among the prohibited abominations. Punishment is only permissible for neglecting an obligation or for committing something forbidden, and no one may be coerced in such matters, for the right to declare things obligatory or forbidden belongs solely to Allah and His Messenger. Whoever, therefore, punishes for an act or an omission without a command from Allah and His Messenger and fashions that into religion has set up a rival to Allah and an equal to His Messenger—just like the polytheists who ascribed partners to Allah (3) and the apostates who believed in Musaylima the Liar (4). Such a person is included among those of whom it was said (5):

“Or do they have partners who have legislated for them in the religion that for which Allah has given no permission?” (6)

For this very reason, the leading scholars (7) of the Sunnah and the community never bound people to their own conclusions in matters open to ijtihād, nor did they compel anyone to adopt them. Thus, when Hārūn al-Rashīd (8) consulted Mālik b.