as a witness, a bearer of good tidings and a warner, and as one who calls to Allah by His permission, and as an illuminating lamp.”

Whoever opposes him calls to others besides Allah without Allah’s permission. Whoever follows the Messenger, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, calls only to Allah and His Messenger. Allah’s words, “by His permission,” mean by His command and through the knowledge He has revealed. As Allah Most High says:

“Say: This is my way: I call to Allah with clear insight—I and those who follow me.”

Whoever follows the Messenger calls to Allah with clear insight—that is, with clear evidence and knowledge, calling to Him on the basis of revelation from Allah, unlike someone who commands what he does not know or what Allah has not revealed. As Allah Most High says:

“They worship besides Allah that for which He has sent down no authority, and of which they have no knowledge. The wrongdoers will have no helper.”

Whatever Allah has commanded or recommended concerning the rights owed to him, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, is not confined to his chamber, whether inside or outside it. Rather, it is to be performed wherever it has been prescribed.

Fulfilling any of the rights owed to him, may Allah bless him and grant him peace—such as believing in him, loving him, being loyal to him, conveying the knowledge received from him, striving for what he brought, showing loyalty to his allies and enmity towards his enemies, invoking blessings and peace upon him, and doing everything Allah loves and through which one draws near to Him—is no better at his chamber than far away from it. This applies both to invoking blessings and peace upon him and to all his other rights. Indeed, he himself, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, forbade making his house a place of recurring observance. He thus forbade seeking out his house for the special performance of any of these acts. Thus, anyone whose intention or belief is that