the religion itself becomes unsound and without any real foundation. For this reason the scholars—may Allah have mercy on them—gave constant attention to matters of creed; they never tired of clarifying it in their lessons and on every occasion, and the later generations faithfully transmitted it from those who preceded them.

The Companions—may Allah be pleased with them—entertained no doubt whatsoever about what the Quran conveyed and what the Sunnah of Allah’s Messenger ﷺ brought. Their creed was built upon the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger ﷺ, without hesitation or uncertainty. Whatever Allah said and whatever His Messenger ﷺ said, they believed and acted upon. Consequently, they felt no need to author separate works on doctrine, for to them it was an agreed-upon, unequivocal matter: their creed was simply the Quran and the Sunnah. Their students from among the Followers continued upon that path, so there was no debate or contention over creed; it was a settled issue and their sole point of reference remained the Book and the Sunnah.

When sects and disagreements later emerged; when people entered Islam whose faith had not yet taken firm root in their hearts, or who brought with them deviant ideas; and when others were raised within Islam yet failed to refer to the Quran or the Sunnah in matters of belief, instead relying on principles and methodologies devised by the misguided—then the leading Imams of Islam found it necessary to articulate the correct creed, refine it, record it in writing, and transmit it from the scholars of the ummah. They therefore compiled books of doctrine, devoted great care to them, and these works became reference points for those who came after them.