and associating with Allah that for which He has sent down no authority, and saying about Allah what you do not know.’”

Whoever speaks untruth has said about Allah what he does not know. Falsehood can be known only as falsehood; believing it to be the truth is ignorance, not knowledge. Thus, whoever asserts it has said what he does not know. Likewise, anyone who follows his forefathers and predecessors in these or other matters of religion without holding fast to the Quran, the Sunnah, and scholarly consensus is among those whom Allah condemns in His Book, as in His words:

“When they are told, ‘Come to what Allah has revealed and to the Messenger,’ they say, ‘What we found our forefathers following is enough for us.’ Even though their forefathers knew nothing and were not guided?”

And His words:

“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 our great men, and they led us astray from the path.’”

“‘Our Lord, give them double the punishment and curse them with a mighty curse.’”

Likewise, whoever follows conjectures and desires, believing them to be “rational truths” and “experiential insights,” is among those of whom Allah says:

“They follow nothing but conjecture and what their souls desire, although guidance has already come to them from their Lord.”

Only the Book sent down from heaven and the Messenger supported by divine tidings can settle people’s disputes, as He, Most High, says:

“Bring me a scripture predating this one, or some remnant of knowledge, if you are truthful.”

He, Most High, also says:

“Mankind was one community; then Allah sent the prophets