and what the earliest forerunners among the Emigrants and the Helpers, and those who followed them in righteousness, said; and what the imams of guidance who came after them said—those whose guidance and understanding the Muslims unanimously acknowledged. This is obligatory for everyone, in this matter and in all others. For Allah, glorified and exalted is He, sent Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, with guidance and the religion of truth, to bring people out of darkness into light, by their Lord’s permission, to the path of the Almighty, the Praiseworthy. He testified that He had sent him as one who calls to Him by His permission and as an illuminating lamp, and commanded him to say:

“Say: This is my way; I call to Allah with clear insight—I and those who follow me.”

It is therefore inconceivable, both rationally and religiously, that the illuminating lamp—through whom Allah brought people out of darkness into light, with whom He sent down the Book in truth to judge between people concerning their differences, and to whose message of the Book and wisdom He commanded people to refer their religious disputes; who calls to Allah and His path, by His permission, with clear insight; and for whom and whose community Allah declared that He had perfected their religion and completed His favour upon them—could, in view of all this and more, have left the matter of faith in Allah and knowledge of Him obscure and ambiguous, without distinguishing between the most beautiful names and the loftiest attributes that necessarily belong to Allah, what is possible with respect to Him, and what is impossible with respect to Him.

Knowledge of this is the root of religion, the foundation of guidance, and the noblest and most obligatory knowledge that hearts can acquire, souls attain, and minds comprehend. How, then, could that Book, that Messenger, and the best of Allah’s creation after the prophets have failed to establish this matter firmly in belief and speech?