Thus, if many of the subtle questions disputed by the Muslim community may be unclear to many people, who cannot find evidence—whether from revelation or otherwise—that would give them certainty, a person in this position is not required to achieve what is beyond his ability. Nor must he abandon the strongly held belief that he considers most probable merely because he cannot attain complete certainty. Rather, this is what he is capable of, especially if it accords with the truth. A belief that accords with the truth benefits the person who holds it; he is rewarded for it, and it fulfils his obligation if he is incapable of more.

It should be understood, however, that most of those who go astray in this matter, or fail to discover the truth concerning it, do so because they neglect to follow what the Messenger brought and abandon the reflection and reasoning that lead to that knowledge. When they turned away from the Book of Allah, they went astray, as Allah Most High says:

“When guidance comes to you from Me, whoever follows My guidance will neither go astray nor suffer.”

“But whoever turns away from My remembrance will have a life of hardship, and We will raise him blind on the Day of Resurrection.”

Ibn ‘Abbās said: “Allah has guaranteed that whoever reads the Quran and acts upon what it contains will neither go astray in this world nor suffer in the Hereafter.” He then recited this verse.

Likewise, in the hadith narrated by al-Tirmidhī and others from ‘Alī, the Prophet said: “There will be trials.” I said, “What is the way out of them, O Messenger of Allah?” He replied:

“The Book of Allah. It contains accounts of what came before you, news of what will come after you, and rulings concerning what arises among you. It is decisive, not frivolous. Any tyrant who abandons it, Allah will crush; whoever seeks guidance elsewhere, Allah will lead astray. It is Allah’s firm rope, the wise reminder, and the straight path. It is that by which desires do not go astray, and by which no confusion befalls