You hear what I say no better than they do.” She said: “What he actually said was: ‘They now know that what I told them is true.’” Nevertheless, there is no doubt that the dead hear the sound of sandals, as has been established from the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him.

“No man passes the grave of someone he knew in this world and greets him without Allah restoring his soul to him so that he may return the greeting.”

This has been authentically reported from the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, alongside other hadiths to this effect. The Mother of the Believers adopted an interpretation; may Allah be pleased with her.

Likewise, regarding the Ascension, Mu‘āwiyah is reported to have said that it took place only with his soul. Others disagree with Mu‘āwiyah, may Allah be pleased with him. There are many such examples.

As for disagreement over “legal rulings,” there are too many instances to enumerate. If two Muslims were to cut ties whenever they disagreed about something, no bond or brotherhood would remain among Muslims. Abū Bakr and ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with them both, were the foremost Muslims, yet they disputed certain matters while intending nothing but good. On the day of Banū Qurayzah, the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said to his Companions:

“‘None of you is to pray ‘Asr except at Banū Qurayzah.’ The time for ‘Asr came while they were on the road. Some said: ‘We will not pray except at Banū Qurayzah,’ and they missed the time for ‘Asr. Others said: ‘He did not intend for us to delay the prayer,’ so they prayed on the road. He reproached neither group.”

Both al-Bukhārī and Muslim recorded this in their Sahīh collections from the hadith of Ibn ‘Umar. Although this concerns legal rulings, any matter that does not