the noon (ẓuhr) prayer; then he delivered a sermon until the time for the afternoon (ʿaṣr) prayer arrived, whereupon he performed the afternoon prayer. He then addressed them again until sunset, leaving out nothing—whether it had already occurred or was yet to occur—from the creation of Adam to the establishment of the Hour, without informing them of it. Whoever retained it retained it, and whoever forgot it forgot it.” (1)
How, then, could anyone who carries reverence for Allah, His Messenger, and His religion in his heart imagine that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ withheld clarification on this tremendous matter, failed to speak about it correctly, or even spoke in terms whose outward sense appears contrary to what is correct? Rather, faith is not complete unless one believes that the Prophet’s exposition of this issue came in the most perfect and lucid form possible, leaving after him no room for further assertion or for any interpreter to introduce a new interpretation.
It is likewise inconceivable that the best, most virtuous, and most knowledgeable members of this community—those foremost in every excellence, guidance, and understanding—either fell short in this field by neglecting it or exceeded the bounds by extremism within it. Only those who departed from their methodology have been afflicted with these two maladies, ending up guided to one or the other of the two deviations.
The very vitality of Islam (2), the cohort of true believers, and the guardians of the religion are precisely those who, in this matter, upheld the truth, believed in it, and called others to it.
If it is said, “Those people turned away from this topic, being preoccupied with renunciation, worship, and jihad; this subject was neither among their concerns nor included in their pursuits,”
it is replied, “That is one of the clearest impossibilities and the most baseless of falsehoods. Their concern for this matter surpassed every other concern, and their attention to it exceeded all other pursuits, commensurate with the life of their hearts, their love for their Lord, and their competition to draw near to Him. Thus, whoever has in his heart the slightest life or…"