Religion is summed up in “two principles”: that we worship none but Allah, and that we worship Him only as He has prescribed, not through innovations. As the Most High says:

“Whoever hopes to meet his Lord, let him do righteous deeds and associate no one in the worship of his Lord.”

This is the realization of the “two testimonies of faith”: the testimony that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah, and the testimony that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. The first requires that we worship none but Him; the second affirms that Muhammad is His Messenger, who conveys His message. We must therefore believe what he tells us and obey his commands. He has explained how we are to worship Allah, forbidden us from introducing innovations into religion, and told us that they are misguidance.

The Most High says:

“Yes, whoever submits himself to Allah and does good will have his reward with his Lord. No fear will be upon them, nor will they grieve.”

Just as we are commanded to fear none but Allah, to rely on none but Allah, to direct our hopes to none but Allah, to seek help from none but Allah, and to worship none but Allah, so too are we commanded to follow the Messenger, obey him, and take him as our example. What is lawful is what he has declared lawful; what is forbidden is what he has forbidden; and religion is what he has prescribed. The Most High says:

“If only they had been satisfied with what Allah and His Messenger gave them and had said, ‘Allah is sufficient for us. Allah will give us of His bounty, and so will His Messenger. Indeed, to Allah we turn in hope.’”

Thus, He attributes giving to both Allah and the Messenger, as He says:

“Whatever the Messenger gives you, take it; and whatever he forbids you, refrain from it.”

But He makes reliance upon Allah alone, saying:

“And had said, ‘Allah is sufficient for us.’”

He did not say, “and His Messenger.” Likewise, He says in (the other verse):

“Those to whom people said, ‘The people have gathered against you, so fear them,’ but this only increased them in faith, and they said, ‘Allah is sufficient for us, and He is the best Disposer of affairs.’”

Similar to this is His saying:

“O Prophet, Allah is sufficient for you and for the believers who follow you.”

That is,