and offering them sincere counsel, is obligatory, as are the other prescribed duties. Allah Most High says:

“Indeed, Allah commands you to render trusts to their rightful owners and, when you judge between people, to judge with justice. How excellent is the counsel Allah gives you! Indeed, Allah is All-Hearing, All-Seeing.”

Allah Most High also says:

“O you who believe, obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those in authority among you. If you disagree over anything, refer it to Allah and the Messenger, if you believe in Allah and the Last Day. That is best and leads to the finest outcome.”

Allah thus commanded the believers to obey Him, His Messenger, and those in authority among them, just as He commanded them to render trusts to their rightful owners and to judge with justice when judging between people. He also commanded them, whenever they disagree over anything, to refer it to Allah and the Messenger.

The scholars said: Referring it to Allah means referring it to His Book, and referring it to the Messenger after his death means referring it to his Sunnah. Allah Most High says:

“Mankind was one community. Then Allah sent the prophets as bearers of glad tidings and warners, and sent down with them the Scripture in truth to judge between people concerning their differences. None differed over it except those who had been given it, after clear proofs had come to them, out of mutual envy. Then Allah, by His permission, guided those who believed to the truth concerning which they had differed. And Allah guides whom He wills to a straight path.”

Thus Allah made the Book He revealed the judge between people concerning their differences.

In Sahīh Muslim and elsewhere, it is reported from ‘Ā’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, that whenever the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, rose to pray at night, he would say:

“O Allah, Lord of Gabriel and Michael