has said, as reported from Him by His Messenger:

“O My servants, all of you are astray except those whom I have guided. So seek My guidance, and I will guide you.”

As for assessing books and their authors, we have already offered, in the course of discussion, such assessments as Allah, Glorified be He, has enabled us to give. Among books compiled and arranged by topic, none is more beneficial than the Sahīh of Muhammad ibn Ismā‘īl al-Bukhārī. Yet this book alone does not suffice to cover the foundations of knowledge, nor does it fully meet the needs of a scholar deeply versed in its various branches. One must also know other hadiths and the statements of jurists and scholars concerning matters in which particular scholars have specialized knowledge.

The Muslim community has produced comprehensive works in every branch of knowledge. Whoever has his heart illuminated by Allah will be guided by Him through whatever reaches him of this knowledge. But whoever has his heart blinded by Him will gain nothing from a multitude of books except greater confusion and misguidance. As the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said to Abū Labīd al-Ansārī:

“Do the Jews and Christians not have the Torah and the Gospel? What benefit do these bring them?”

We therefore ask Allah the Almighty to grant us guidance and sound judgment, to inspire us to follow the right course, and to protect us from the evil within ourselves. We ask Him not to let our hearts deviate after He has guided us, and to bestow upon us mercy from Himself. Indeed, He is the Bestower. All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and may His blessings be upon the noblest of the messengers.