their spiritual states, and lifted the obligations He had imposed because of what He had taken away.”

In sum, these matters must be accorded their due under the Quran and Sunnah. Whatever the Quran and Sunnah convey—whether statements, commands, or prohibitions—must be followed. No consideration is to be given to anyone who opposes it, whoever he may be, nor may anyone be followed in contradicting it, whoever he may be. This accords with what the Quran, Sunnah, and consensus of the Muslim community establish concerning following and obeying the Messenger.

At the same time, the person responsible for such conduct must be excused wherever the revealed law excuses him: if he has lost his reason or discernment; if he has erred in exercising independent judgment, whether in word or deed; or if he is so overcome in committing that act or neglecting that duty that, through no sin of his own, he cannot prevent the objectionable act he commits, or, through no sin of his own, he cannot perform that obligation.

The general principle governing this matter must be safeguarded: whatever contradicts the Quran and Sunnah must neither be followed nor made into a religious law or a path to follow. Rather, there is no path to Allah and no religious law except what Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, brought. As for those individuals who have contravened some of this in the circumstances described above, they are excused, and are neither blamed nor punished.

For the words and deeds of anyone may be accepted or rejected, except those of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. Every imam has said or done things in which he is not to be followed, even though he is not blamed for them.

As for words and deeds that are not known with certainty to contradict the Quran and Sunnah, but rather