so whoever follows him is among Allah’s righteous allies, His successful soldiers, and His righteous servants; whoever does not follow him is among Allah’s enemies—the losers and evildoers. Opposing the Messenger and following that individual thus lead him first into innovation and misguidance, and ultimately into disbelief and hypocrisy. He will have a share in what Allah, Most High, says:

“On the Day when the wrongdoer bites his hands, saying, ‘If only I had taken a path with the Messenger!
Woe to me! If only I had not taken so-and-so as a close friend!
He led me away from the Reminder after it had come to me.’ And Satan ever abandons man.”

And His words, Most High:

“On the Day their faces are turned about in the Fire, they will say, ‘If only we had obeyed Allah and obeyed the Messenger!’
And they will say, ‘Our Lord, we obeyed our leaders and great men, and they led us astray from the path.
Our Lord, give them double the punishment and curse them with a mighty curse.’”

And His words, Most High:

“Among people are those who take others as equals to Allah, loving them as they love Allah. But those who believe are stronger in their love for Allah. If only the wrongdoers could see, when they see the punishment, that all power belongs to Allah and that Allah is severe in punishment!
When those who were followed disown those who followed them, and they see the punishment, and all ties between them are severed.
Those who followed will say, ‘If only we could return, we would disown them as they have disowned us.’ Thus Allah will show them their deeds as bitter regrets, and they will never leave the Fire.”

These people resemble the Christians, of whom Allah, Most High, says:

“They have taken their rabbis and monks as lords besides Allah, and the Messiah, son of Mary, as well, though they were commanded only to worship one God. There is no deity worthy of worship except Him. Exalted is He above what they associate with Him!”

And in