The second is that the Prophet ﷺ recited these verses, related the corresponding reports, conveyed them to his Companions, and commanded them to transmit them further. Yet he neither interpreted them nor disclosed any deeper explanation. By unanimous agreement, it is impermissible to delay clarification when the need for it has arisen; had those verses required interpretation, he would have been obliged to clarify them and it would not have been lawful for him to postpone that clarification. Moreover, because he ﷺ chose silence on the matter, we are bound to follow his example, for Allah Most High has ordered us to follow him and has informed us that we have in him a noble model: “Indeed, in the Messenger of Allah you have an excellent example” (Al-Ahzab 33:21). He ﷺ is upon Allah’s straight path; consequently, whoever follows his way is by necessity upon that straight path. We must therefore emulate him, halt where he halted, and remain silent where he remained silent, so that we may tread his path, for it is the very path Allah has commanded us to follow: “And, indeed, this is My straight path, so follow it,” and He forbade us to follow other ways, saying, “Do not follow the side-paths, for they will separate you from His path” (Al-Anʿam 6:153).

78. As for consensus (ijmāʿ), the Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, were unanimously agreed upon abandoning speculative interpretation, as we have already reported from them, and the scholars of every generation after them held the same view. Interpretation has been transmitted only from an innovator or from someone associated with innovation.

79. Consensus is a conclusive proof, for Allah will not allow the community of Muhammad ﷺ to agree upon misguidance. The Imams who succeeded the Companions explicitly forbade exegetical speculation and interpretation, and instructed that these reports be transmitted exactly as they have come. We have already cited their unanimous agreement on this, and therefore it is obligatory.