Thus, a scholar who understands the true nature of its contents and knows what the Book and the Sunnah teach will not be harmed by it, for he gives everything its due. No Muslim needs to study or read it. Nor may anyone turn away from what the Book and the Sunnah teach, and what the early generations of this community and its imams agreed upon, in favour of what some people have introduced, which may contain something contrary to that or lead people to oppose it. No one may devise a creed or a form of worship for people on his own authority. Rather, he must follow, not innovate, and take guidance from established example, not originate his own. For Allah, glorified be He, sent Muhammad—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—with guidance and the religion of truth, to make it prevail over all religion. And sufficient is Allah as a witness.

He said to him:

“Say, ‘This is my way: I call to Allah with clear insight—I and those who follow me.’”

And the Most High said:

“Today I have perfected your religion for you, completed My favour upon you, and chosen Islam as your religion.”

The Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—taught the Muslims everything they needed concerning their religion. Muslims therefore take their entire religion—beliefs, acts of worship, and everything else—from the Book of Allah, the Sunnah of His Messenger, and what the early generations of this community and its imams agreed upon. None of this contradicts sound reason, for whatever contradicts sound reason is false, and there is no falsehood in the Book, the Sunnah, or scholarly consensus. They do, however, contain expressions that some people may not understand, or from which they may derive a false meaning. The fault lies with those people, not with the Book and the Sunnah; for