and whoever departs from the revealed law that the Messenger commanded him to follow and worships through religious innovation has not fulfilled the testimony that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. These two “foundations” are fulfilled only by someone who worships none but Allah and does not depart from the law of Allah’s Messenger, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, which he conveyed from Allah. For he said:

“I have left you upon a clear path, whose night is like its day. None deviates from it but one who is doomed.”

He also said:

“There is nothing that brings you closer to Paradise that I have not told you about, nor anything that distances you from the Fire that I have not told you about.”

Ibn Masʿūd said:

“Allah’s Messenger, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, drew a line for us, then drew lines to its right and left. He then said: ‘This is Allah’s way, and these are other ways; upon each of them is a devil calling people to it.’ Then he recited: ‘And this is My straight path, so follow it, and do not follow other paths, lest they lead you away from His path.’”

Thus, acts of worship, ascetic practices, teachings, and forms of scrupulous abstention that depart from Allah’s way—the straight path to which Allah has commanded us to ask Him to guide us, and which the Sunnah indicates—are the ways of Satan. Whatever extraordinary feats any of them may display, none of them is greater than their leader, the Dajjāl, who says to the sky, “Rain,” and it rains; to the earth, “Bring forth vegetation,” and it brings forth vegetation; and to the ruins, “Reveal your treasures,” and they bring forth treasures of gold and silver that accompany him.

Yet despite all this, he is an enemy of Allah and a disbeliever in Him. Allah’s allies are those mentioned in His words:

“Indeed, Allah’s allies shall have no fear, nor shall they