for his ijtihād, and his error is forgiven. The mujtahid who reaches the correct ruling, however, is granted two rewards and is therefore superior to the one who errs. For that reason, even a walī (friend of Allah) may make mistakes, and people are not obliged to believe everything a walī says—unless he is a prophet.

[It is impermissible for a walī to rely solely on what is cast into his heart]

Indeed, it is not permissible for a friend of Allah to rely on what is cast into his heart, or on anything he regards as inspiration, inner conversation, or an address from the Truth, unless it is in harmony with revelation. Rather, he must submit all such experiences to what Muhammad brought: if they accord with it, he accepts them; if they contradict it, he rejects them; and if he cannot tell whether they accord or contradict, he withholds judgment.

People in this regard fall into three categories—two extremes and a middle course. One group, once they believe someone to be a walī, approves everything they imagine his heart has told him from his Lord and yields unquestioningly to all he does. Another group, when they see him say or do something not in line with the Sacred Law, expels him completely from the circle of Allah’s friends, even though he may merely be a mujtahid who has erred. The best approach is the middle path: do not deem him infallible, yet do not blame or condemn him when he is a mistaken mujtahid. Thus he is not followed in everything he says, nor is he declared a disbeliever or sinner on account of his ijtihād.

[The obligation to follow what the Messenger was sent with]

What is incumbent upon people is to follow what Allah sent His Messenger with. Should someone’s view differ from that of certain jurists while agreeing with that of others, no one has the right to compel him to adopt the opinion of those who disagree with him and declare, “He has opposed the Sharīʿah.”