and relieves them of their burdens and the shackles that bound them. So those who believe in him, honour him, support him and follow the light sent down with him—it is they who will prosper.”

Thus, He describes His Messenger as commanding everything right, forbidding everything wrong, making all good things lawful, prohibiting all impure things, and removing the burdens and shackles imposed upon those before him. Every less well-founded opinion that contradicts the Book and wisdom he brought is an innovated opinion. At best, it belongs to the abrogated law that Allah superseded with the law of Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace—if its proponent is among the finest and most distinguished members of this community, has exercised independent scholarly judgment in reaching that opinion, and has feared Allah to the best of his ability. Such a person is rewarded for his scholarly endeavour and piety, and forgiven his error. The Messenger cannot therefore be held accountable for an opinion someone else reached through independent scholarly judgment.

It is authentically reported from him in the two Sahīh collections that he said:

“When a judge exercises independent judgment and reaches the correct decision, he receives two rewards. When he exercises independent judgment and errs, he receives one reward.”

It is also authentically reported in the Sahīh that he would say to someone whom he appointed to command a military detachment or army:

“When you besiege the people of a fortress and they ask you to let them surrender subject to Allah’s judgment, do not let them surrender on that basis, for you do not know what Allah’s judgment concerning them is. Rather, let them surrender subject to your judgment and that of your companions.”

This accords with the authentic report in the Sahīh:

“The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, appointed Sa'd ibn Mu'ādh to judge the case of Banū Qurayzah. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, had besieged them, and they had surrendered subject to his judgment. He then made their surrender subject to the judgment of Sa'd ibn Mu'ādh, after allies of theirs among the Ansār asked him to treat them kindly. Contrary to what some of his people expected of him, Sa'd ibn Mu'ādh gave precedence to the pleasure of Allah and His Messenger over the approval of