and, when good and evil deeds are inseparably bound together, give precedence to whichever carries greater weight. This is often the case with most leaders of later times and most of the community, including kings, rulers, speculative theologians, scholars, worshippers, and people of wealth.

Those who follow the way of the Rightly Guided Caliphs do not constitute the majority of the community. Nevertheless, those who follow this way must treat people as Allah and His Messenger have commanded: dealing justly among them, giving everyone their due, and upholding the prescribed limits as far as possible. For the obligation is to enjoin and practise what is right, and to forbid and abandon what is wrong, as far as possible. When the followers of the Rightly Guided Caliphs are unable to do this, they give priority to securing the greater of two goods and averting the greater of two evils. All praise belongs to Allah, Lord of all worlds.

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Allah Most High said when He sent Adam and those with him down to earth:

“We said, ‘Descend from it, all of you. When guidance comes to you from Me, whoever follows My guidance will have no fear, nor will they grieve there. But those who disbelieve and deny Our signs will be the inhabitants of the Fire, remaining there forever.’” (Sūrat al-Baqarah, 38–39)

And He Most High said:

“When guidance comes to you from Me, whoever follows My guidance will neither go astray nor suffer misery. But whoever turns away from My remembrance will have a life of hardship, and We will raise him blind on the Day of Resurrection. He will say, ‘My Lord, why have You raised me blind when I used to be