both prophets, although He singled out one of them for understanding that particular case. The religion in its entirety is received from the Messenger, may Allah bless him and grant him peace; no one after him has the right to change any part of his religion. This is the religion of the Muslims.

The Christians, by contrast, permit their scholars and ascetics to institute laws contrary to Allah’s law. The Most High says:

“They have taken their rabbis and monks as lords besides Allah, and also the Messiah, son of Mary, although they were commanded to worship only one God. There is no deity worthy of worship except Him. Glory be to Him, far above whatever they associate with Him!”

The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:

“They made lawful for them what was forbidden, and they obeyed them; and they forbade them what was lawful, and they obeyed them. That was how they worshipped them.”

For this reason, the imams of the Muslims would not describe anything as an act of worship, obedience, or drawing near to Allah except on the basis of scriptural evidence and following those who preceded them. They would not speak about religion without knowledge, for Allah has forbidden this in His words:

“Say: My Lord has only forbidden shameful deeds, whether openly or in secret, sin, unjust aggression, associating with Allah that for which He has sent down no authority, and saying about Allah what you do not know.”

The imams of the religion have agreed that travel to the three mosques is prescribed—the Sacred Mosque, the Mosque of the Messenger, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and al-Aqsā Mosque—in contrast to destinations other than these three. For it is related in the two Sahīh collections that he, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:

“Do not undertake a journey except to three mosques: the Sacred Mosque, this mosque of mine, and al-Aqsā Mosque.”