authority. Judgment belongs to Allah alone. He has commanded that you worship none but Him. That is the upright religion, but most people do not know.”

Judgment thus belongs to Allah alone, and His messengers convey His message. Their judgment is His judgment, their command is His command, and obedience to them is obedience to Him. Whatever the Messenger rules, commands them to do, or prescribes as religion, all created beings must follow and obey, for that is Allah’s judgment concerning His creation.

The Messenger conveys Allah’s message. The Most High says:

“We sent no messenger except to be obeyed by Allah’s permission. If, when they wronged themselves, they had come to you and sought Allah’s forgiveness, and the Messenger had sought forgiveness for them, they would have found Allah Accepting of repentance, Merciful.”

“But no, by your Lord, they will not believe until they make you judge concerning their disputes, then find within themselves no discomfort over what you have decided and submit fully.”

All created beings must therefore accept as their judge the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, the Seal of the Prophets, the finest of the messengers, and the most honoured of creation before Allah. No one may depart from his judgment in anything, whether a scholar, a king, a shaykh, or anyone else.

Had Moses, Jesus, or any other messenger lived to witness his coming, they would have been obliged to follow him, as the Most High says:

“And when Allah took the covenant of the prophets: ‘Whatever Scripture and wisdom I give you, should a messenger then come to you confirming what is with you, you must believe in him and support him.’ He said, ‘Do you affirm this and accept My binding covenant?’ They said, ‘We affirm it.’ He said, ‘Then bear witness, and I am with you among the witnesses.’”

It is reported from several of the early generations—ʿAlī, Ibn ʿAbbās, and others—that they said:

“Never