spared from the appearance of these innovations. Even when a few individuals secretly harboured them, they were held in contempt and disrepute. A number of Qadaris and others did reside there, yet they were overpowered and humiliated—quite unlike the open spread of Shi‘ism and irjāʾ in Kufa, the Mu‘tazilite doctrines and ascetic innovations in Basra, or the nasb that was manifest in al-Shām. Moreover, it is authentically reported from the Prophet ﷺ that the Antichrist will never enter it, and knowledge and faith remained visibly dominant there until the time of Mālik’s companions, who belonged to the fourth generation (1).

As for the first three virtuous generations, no overt innovation whatsoever arose in the Prophetic City, nor did any doctrinal innovation ever originate from it, unlike the other lands.

2 – The causes that led to the emergence of innovations
There is no doubt that holding fast to the Book and the Sunnah is a safeguard against falling into innovation and misguidance. The Exalted said: