or such matters as his doing this or that, without making it clear to them.

This is further clarified by his words, peace be upon him:

“I have left you upon something like a clear path: its night is like its day.”

Since matters are as we have described, it is clear that thereafter no grounds remained for reproach by anyone who deviated, or for criticism by any proponent of innovation. For he—peace be upon him—had established the religion after firmly planting its stakes and securing its ropes. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, left none of those whom he called to worship Allah alone in need of anyone else, nor did he leave anyone who deviated any grounds for criticizing him. Then he departed—peace and blessings be upon him—worthy of praise, having established the proof, conveyed the message, fulfilled the trust, and sincerely counselled the entire community. Thus, no member of his community needed to search for anything he himself had overlooked in what he had told them, or for any meaning he had disclosed secretly to one member of his community.

Rather, he—peace be upon him—said on an occasion when his words could not be concealed