—and his Companions.

The second category concerns differences that arise from ijtihād (independent legal reasoning). Such disagreement does not call for hostility, because its source is how each person weighs the proofs, and people vary in that respect; they are not all on the same level. They differ in the power of their deduction and in the breadth or narrowness of their knowledge.

So, when this kind of disagreement is not accompanied by blind partisanship, it does not lead to enmity. The Companions differed over questions of jurisprudence, yet no animosity arose among them—they remained brothers. The same is true of the righteous predecessors and the four Imams: they disagreed, but no hatred existed between them; they were brethren, as were their followers. When, however, someone grows fanatical about his own view, that breeds hostility.

A Muslim, therefore, must adopt the opinions that are supported by evidence from the Book or the Sunnah. The Exalted says: “If you dispute over anything, refer it to Allah and the Messenger, if you truly believe in Allah and the Last Day” [al-Nisāʾ 59]. And He says: “Whatever it is over which you differ, its judgment rests with Allah” [al-Shūrā 10]. Thus, whenever disagreement arises, we return to the Quran and the Sunnah and accept that which the evidence makes weightier.