and made faith dear to them and beautiful in their hearts. He thus made them followers of His Messenger, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and protected them from collectively agreeing upon misguidance, as earlier nations had gone astray. Whenever a nation went astray, Allah Most High sent them a messenger, as He says:

“We certainly sent a messenger to every nation, saying, ‘Worship Allah and shun false gods.’”

The Most High also says:

“There was no nation without a warner having come among them.”

Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, is the Seal of the Prophets; there is no prophet after him. Allah therefore protected his community from collectively agreeing upon misguidance and placed within it those through whom the proof would be established until the Day of Resurrection. For this reason, their consensus constitutes an authoritative proof, just as the Book and the Sunnah do.

Thus, those within this community who uphold the truth, the Sunnah, and the united body of Muslims are distinguished from the people of falsehood, who claim to follow the Book while turning away from the Sunnah of Allah’s Messenger, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and from what the Muslim community has followed. In His Book, Allah commands adherence to His Messenger’s Sunnah and his path. He commands unity and concord and forbids division and disagreement. The Most High says:

“Whoever obeys the Messenger has indeed obeyed Allah.”

The Most High also says:

“We sent no messenger except to be obeyed by Allah’s permission.”

The Most High also says:

“Say, ‘If you love Allah, then follow me; Allah will love you and forgive you your sins.’”

The Most High also says:

“But no, by your Lord, they will not truly believe until they make you judge in their disputes, then find no unease within themselves concerning your judgment and submit wholeheartedly.”

The Most High also says:

“Hold firmly to the rope of Allah, all together, and do not become divided.”

The Most High also says: