with them, even though my deeds do not equal theirs.”

Likewise, “The strongest bonds of Islam are loving for Allah’s sake and hating for Allah’s sake.” However, this requires a person to love what Allah loves and those who love Allah. Thus, one loves all of Allah’s prophets because Allah loves them, and loves everyone known to have died in faith and piety, for these are Allah’s close friends, and Allah loves them. These include those whom the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, testified would enter Paradise, as well as others who participated at Badr and took the Pledge of Divine Pleasure.

Whoever the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, testified would enter Paradise, we likewise testify will enter Paradise. As for someone for whom he gave no such testimony, a group of scholars said: “We do not testify that he will enter Paradise, nor do we testify that Allah loves him.”

Another group said: “Rather, if a person’s faith and piety become widely known and the Muslims agree in praising him, we testify that he will enter Paradise. Such people include ‘Umar ibn ‘Abd al-‘Azīz, al-Hasan al-Basrī, Sufyān al-Thawrī, Abu Hanīfah, Mālik, al-Shāfi‘ī, Ahmad, al-Fudayl ibn ‘Iyād, Abu Sulaymān al-Dārānī, Ma‘rūf al-Karkhī, ‘Abd Allāh ibn al-Mubārak—may Allah be pleased with them—and others.”

For it is related in al-Sahīh:

“A funeral procession passed by the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, and the people spoke well of the deceased. He said, ‘It is assured! It is assured!’ Another funeral procession passed by, and they spoke ill of the deceased. He said, ‘It is assured! It is assured!’

“They asked, ‘O Messenger of Allah, what do you mean by saying, “It is assured! It is assured”?’

“He said, ‘You spoke well of this deceased person, so I said that Paradise was assured for them. You spoke ill of the other deceased person, so I said that the Fire was assured for them.’

“He was asked: