except by Allah’s permission. Allah knows best what their circumstances will be and what each of them deserves. How, then, can a Muslim be bound to do something beyond his power, when neither his own state in this matter nor that of the other person is known? Thus, we find that those who impose these conditions do not understand what they are stipulating. Were one of them to realize that some of his wealth would be taken from him in this world, Allah knows best whether he would agree to them or not!

In short, all stipulations, contracts, and covenants that people enter into, whether concerning brotherhood or otherwise, must be referred back to Allah’s Book and the Sunnah of His Messenger. Every stipulation that accords with the Book and the Sunnah must be fulfilled, and:

“Any stipulation someone makes that is not in Allah’s Book is invalid, even if there are a hundred such stipulations. Allah’s Book has greater authority, and His stipulation is more binding.”

Whenever a stipulation conflicts with what Allah and His Messenger have stipulated, it is invalid. Examples include stipulating that someone else’s child should be one’s own son; that one should have patronage over someone emancipated by another; that one’s son or relative should not inherit from one; that one will assist another in everything he wants and support him against every enemy, whether he is in the right or in the wrong; that one will obey him in everything he commands; or that one will admit him to Paradise and save him from the Fire unconditionally, and other such stipulations.

When such stipulations are made, those that accord with what Allah and His Messenger have commanded must be fulfilled, while those that entail what Allah and His Messenger have forbidden must not be fulfilled. This is agreed upon among Muslims. As for stipulations concerning permissible matters, there is disagreement and further detail, which this is not the place to discuss.