73 – It is therefore decisively proven—by the Book, the Sunnah, the consensus of the community, and by sober reflection—that following the early generations (the salaf, may Allah have mercy on them) is obligatory. Those predecessors can only have been either correct or mistaken. If they were correct, then following them is binding, for adhering to what is right is obligatory, whereas adopting error in creed is forbidden. And if they were indeed correct, they were upon the straight path, while whoever opposes them is following the path of Satan that leads to the blazing Fire. Allah the Exalted has commanded us to follow His way and His path and has forbidden us to follow any other, saying:
“Indeed, this is My straight path, so follow it; and do not follow the other paths, lest they separate you from His path. This He has enjoined upon you so that you may be mindful of Him.” (Surah al-Anʿam 6:153)

74 – If anyone were to claim that the salaf were in error, he would thereby impugn the whole of Islam. For if it were permissible for them to err in this matter, their error in every other aspect of Islam would also be possible; the reports they transmitted would not be accepted, the miracles of the Prophet ﷺ that they narrated could not be affirmed, the entire edifice of transmission would collapse, and the Sacred Law would disappear. No Muslim may utter such a claim or harbor such a belief.

Moreover, the salaf were either aware of the true interpretation of these divine attributes or they were not. If they were unaware, how could we now presume to know it? And if they did know it, yet found it sufficient to remain silent, then what sufficed them must suffice us. The Prophet ﷺ himself is among those predecessors who refrained from explaining the verses and reports concerning the divine attributes; he is Allah’s proof against all creation. They are obligated to follow him and forbidden to oppose him. Allah the Exalted has borne witness that he is upon the straight path, that he guides to it, that whoever follows him is loved by Allah, and that whoever disobeys him has disobeyed Allah: “Whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger has certainly strayed into manifest error.”