better than the interpretations of the authentic, unequivocal texts of the Quran and Sunnah offered by those who cite these accounts as evidence.

This makes it clear that, in every instance, Ahl al-Sunnah are sounder in both transmission and reasoning than others. This is part of the full ascendancy of the guidance and the religion of truth with which Allah sent His Messenger, to make it prevail over all religion—ascendancy through proof and through power.

When this well-known account attributed to al-Sarī reached Imam Ahmad, he condemned it in the strongest terms. He even refrained from praising al-Sarī, despite previously mentioning his virtue and scrupulousness, and forbade people to report his praise of him until al-Sarī’s error in this matter became clear. This was despite al-Sarī’s acknowledgment that he had not made the statement on his own behalf, but had merely transmitted it.

Al-Khallāl recorded the following in his Book of the Sunnah, under “An Account of al-Sarī and What He Introduced”:

“Ahmad ibn Muhammad informed me, on the authority of Matar and Zakariyyā ibn Yahyā, that Abū Tālib told them that he had said to Abū ‘Abd Allāh: ‘I received a letter from Tarsus saying that al-Sarī had said: “When Allah created the letters, they prostrated, except for the alif, which said: ‘I will not prostrate until I am commanded.’”’ He replied: ‘This is disbelief.’”

Al-Khallāl said: “Abū Bakr al-Marwadhī informed us, saying: ‘I received a letter from the frontier concerning a man who had made a statement, and I presented it to Abū ‘Abd Allāh. It contained the words: “When Allah created the letters, they prostrated, except for the alif.” Abū ‘Abd Allāh became intensely angry, so much so that