‘Our Lord, forgive us and our brothers who preceded us in faith, and place no resentment in our hearts toward those who believe. Our Lord, You are indeed Most Kind, Most Merciful.’”

Allah Most High also says:

“And others among them who have not yet joined them. He is the Almighty, the All-Wise.”

Whoever follows the foremost, the first believers, is one of them. They are the best of humanity after the prophets, for Muhammad’s community is the best community ever brought forth for humanity, and they are the best of Muhammad’s community. As established through several routes of transmission in the authentic hadith collections, the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:

“The best generation is the generation among whom I was sent, then those who follow them, then those who follow them.”

Thus, knowing their statements concerning religious knowledge and faith, and knowing their deeds, is better and more beneficial than knowing the statements and deeds of later generations. This applies to all branches of religious knowledge and practice, including Quranic interpretation, the foundations of religion and its subsidiary matters, asceticism, worship, moral character, jihad, and other matters. They are superior to those who came after them, as the Quran and Sunnah indicate. Following their example is therefore better than following the example of later generations, and knowing their consensus and disagreements concerning religious knowledge and faith is better and more beneficial than knowing what is reported of the consensus and disagreements of others.

This is because their consensus is necessarily protected from error, and when they disagree, the truth cannot lie outside their views. The truth can therefore be sought among their positions. None of their statements may be judged erroneous until it is known that the Quran and Sunnah indicate otherwise. Allah Most High says:

“Obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those in authority among you. Then if you disagree