Allah Most High said:
“Have they not travelled through the land, so that they may have hearts with which to reason or ears with which to hear? For it is not the eyes that are blind, but the hearts within the breasts.”
Yet doubts arose among later generations concerning “this issue,” the “issue of visitation,” and other matters. Others and I used to follow “the way of our forefathers” in this regard, adopting the position of the people of innovation on “the two foundational matters.” When what the Messenger brought became clear to us, the choice was between following what Allah had revealed and following what we had found our forefathers practising. Our duty was therefore to follow the Messenger and not to be among those of whom it was said:
“When they are told, ‘Follow what Allah has revealed,’ they say, ‘Rather, we follow what we found our forefathers practising.’”
The Most High also said:
“He said, ‘Even if I bring you better guidance than what you found your forefathers following?’”
And the Most High said:
“We have enjoined upon man care for his parents. His mother carried him in weakness upon weakness, and his weaning is in two years. Be grateful to Me and to your parents; to Me is the final return. But if they strive to make you associate with Me that of which you have no knowledge, do not obey them. Yet keep their company in this world with kindness, and follow the path of those who turn to Me.”
Our duty, then, is to follow the revealed Book, the Messenger who was sent, and the path of those who turn to Allah. We therefore followed the Book and the Sunnah, as did the Emigrants and the Helpers, rather than whatever contradicted them in the religion of our forefathers or anyone else. May Allah guide us and all our brothers to the straight path—the path of those whom Allah has blessed: the prophets, the steadfastly truthful, the martyrs, and the righteous. What excellent companions they are!
Allah, glorified is He, sent down the Quran, guided His creation through it, and brought them through it out of darkness