a book on jurisprudence according to the views of a particular imam, presenting his doctrine as he understands and sees it, even though someone else may know that imam’s doctrine and wording better and understand his intentions more fully. For people’s transmission of the doctrines of the imams may resemble their transmission of the revealed Law.

It is well known that someone may say, “Allah’s ruling is such-and-such,” or, “The ruling of the revealed Law is such-and-such,” according to what he believes the Prophet taught, based on what has reached him and how he has understood it—even though someone else may know the Prophet’s words and deeds better and understand his intent more fully. This, too, is something that occurs frequently among human beings. Thus, reports transmitted from the imams may differ, just as some hadith scholars differ in what they transmit from the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. The Prophet, however, is protected from error. He therefore cannot make two statements that genuinely contradict one another, nor issue two genuinely contradictory commands unless one abrogates the other. Anyone other than the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, is not protected from error: he may make two contradictory statements or issue two contradictory commands without recognizing the contradiction.

Yet if what is transmitted from the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, requires discernment and knowledge—with reports sometimes differing so that some carry greater weight than others, and with considerable disagreement among those who convey his Law through inference—then it is hardly surprising that something similar should occur in what is transmitted from others. Indeed, this is all the more to be expected, because Allah has guaranteed the preservation of the Reminder that He sent down to His Messenger, but has not guaranteed the preservation of what is transmitted from anyone else. For the Book and wisdom with which Allah sent His Messenger constitute Allah’s guidance, which has come from Him, through which His path is known, and which is His proof against His servants;