and strive for its cause, and weigh all the statements and actions people have engaged in concerning fundamental and subsidiary matters, inward and outward, against the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger. They must not follow desires arising from custom, a school of thought, a spiritual path, leadership, or attachment to predecessors; nor follow conjecture based on a weak hadith, unsound reasoning—whether syllogistic reasoning or reasoning by analogy—or imitation of someone whose words and deeds they are not obliged to follow. For Allah has condemned in His Book those who follow conjecture and their own desires, abandoning the guidance that has come to them from their Lord.

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With this established, know that “questions of declaring people disbelievers or sinners” belong to the questions of “religious designations and rulings.” These concern the promise of reward and the threat of punishment in the Hereafter, as well as allegiance and enmity, killing and inviolability, and other matters in this worldly life.

For Allah, glorified is He, has guaranteed Paradise to the believers and forbidden it to the disbelievers. This is among the universal rulings that apply at every time and in every place. Allah Most High says:

“Indeed, those who believe, the Jews, the Christians, and the Sabians—whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day and does righteous deeds—will have their reward with their Lord. No fear will be upon them, nor will they grieve.”

And the Most High says, after mentioning the claim of the Jews and Christians: