with guidance and the religion of truth. The successors of the Messenger of Allah are therefore not obliged to issue him fatwas or judge his case, just as they are not obliged to judge between hypocrites and disbelievers who heed other people who have not responded to Allah and His Messenger.

Among the forms of allegiance to disbelievers for which Allah condemned the People of the Book and the hypocrites are accepting some of their unbelief or seeking their judgment instead of that of the Book of Allah. As the Most High says:

“Have you not seen those who were given a portion of the Scripture? They believe in jibt and tāghūt and say of the disbelievers, ‘These are better guided than the believers.’”

It is well known that this verse was revealed concerning Ka‘b ibn al-Ashraf, one of the Jewish leaders, when he went to the polytheists and declared their religion superior to the religion of Muhammad and his Companions. We have related this account in al-Sārim al-Maslūl when discussing the Prophet’s words—may Allah bless him and grant him peace:

“Who will deal with Ka‘b ibn al-Ashraf? For he has harmed Allah and His Messenger.”

Similar to this verse are the words of the Most High concerning some of the People of the Book:

“And when a messenger from Allah came to them, confirming what was with them, a group of those who had been given the Scripture cast the Book of Allah behind their backs as though they did not know.”

“And they followed what the devils recited during the reign of Solomon”—to the end of the verse.

Thus, He tells us that they followed sorcery and abandoned the Book of Allah. This is what many Jews and some who profess Islam do when they follow the books of sorcerers—the enemies of Abraham and Moses—among the philosophers and others like them.