we reply: “The views we hold and the faith we profess consist in holding fast to the Book of Allah, the Almighty and Majestic, the Sunnah of His Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and what has been transmitted from the Companions, the Successors, and the imams of hadith. To these we firmly adhere. We affirm what Ahmad ibn Hanbal affirmed—may Allah make his face radiant, raise his rank, and abundantly reward him—and we oppose whatever contradicts his teachings. For he is the virtuous imam and consummate leader through whom Allah made the truth manifest when misguidance emerged, clarified the paths, and subdued the innovations of the innovators, the deviations of those who strayed, and the doubts of the doubters. May Allah have mercy upon him, a foremost imam and distinguished scholar, and upon all the imams of the Muslims.

“In summary, we affirm our belief in Allah, Blessed and Exalted, His angels, His Books, His messengers, what has come from Allah, and what trustworthy narrators have transmitted from the Messenger of