prayer facing Jerusalem. He then abrogated that ruling and commanded prayer facing the Kaaba. Thus, the prescribed law changed while the religion remained one. Facing the Levant at that time was part of the religion of Islam, as was observing the Sabbath for Moses. Once the earlier ruling was abrogated, however, the religion of Islam lay in the superseding ruling: praying towards the Kaaba. Whoever adheres to the abrogated ruling rather than the superseding one is neither following the religion of Islam nor following any of the prophets. Whoever alters the prophets’ law and invents a law of his own produces a false law that may not be followed, as Allah says:

“Or do they have partners who have ordained for them in religion what Allah has not authorized?”

This is why the Jews and Christians disbelieved: they adhered to a law that had been altered and abrogated. Allah has obliged all creation to believe in all His Books and messengers. Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, is the last of the messengers, so all creation must follow him and the religion he prescribed, namely what he brought of the Book and Sunnah. What the Book and Sunnah teach is the law that all creation must follow; no one may depart from it. It is the law that those who wage jihad fight to uphold: the Book and Sunnah.

The swords of the Muslims support this law—the Book and Sunnah—as Jābir ibn ‘Abd Allāh said:

“The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, commanded us to strike with this—meaning the sword—whoever departs from this—meaning the written copy of the Quran.”

The Most High says:

“We certainly sent Our messengers with clear proofs, and sent down with them the Scripture and the balance so that people may uphold justice. And We sent down