their coming on rational grounds, and the error of those who denied it, and their truthfulness has become evident through the signs manifested at their hands—then no one who has acquired this knowledge may abandon their way for the ways of those who rejected them and deemed their coming impossible. Since, for the reasons we have explained, the early and later generations of the Muslim community regarded this as obligatory, they also regarded it as obligatory for later generations to strive to seek out reports from the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and to take due care in establishing the uprightness of their transmitters, so that their beliefs concerning these matters would rest upon certainty.

For this reason, one of them would travel to distant lands in pursuit of a saying reported to him from the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. They were eager to ascertain the truth properly and to seek sound evidence for it, so that their hearts might be reassured about their beliefs and their souls might find assurance in the one whose guidance they followed in their religion. In this way, they would distinguish themselves from anyone censured for blindly following the leaders he revered without evidence warranting it. And since Allah, Mighty and Majestic, charged them with this and made the reports of His Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace,