handed down from the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, which does not arise after him but was already present in his time, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. It is preserved and safeguarded through its transmission by the Messenger’s successors and the heirs of the prophets.

There are several lines of evidence showing that these fabricated accounts and others have no basis.

First:

When people have compelling motives and incentives to transmit and spread something, it is ordinarily impossible for it to remain concealed. Thus, if only a few report it, this indicates that they are lying. For example, someone who comes out on Friday and reports a major incident in the congregational mosque—such as the preacher falling, his being killed, or people being detained in the mosque—is known to be lying if only one or two people report it. Likewise, someone who reports that there are great cities and numerous peoples along the travel routes is known to be lying if travellers do not report this and only one or two people do. The same applies to someone who reports gold and silver deposits readily accessible to anyone who wants them, in a place known to people, when only one or two people report this. There are many similar examples.

Through rational reflection, analogy, and comparison, one can therefore recognize the falsehood of reports about things which, according to Allah’s established practice, would have become known and widespread had they existed. Likewise, one can recognize the truth of mass-transmitted reports and widely circulated accounts concerning matters about which, according to Allah’s established practice among His servants, people do not conspire to lie. For Allah has endowed the great masses of humanity with a natural disposition to speak truthfully and openly in such matters, rather than