someone were to transmit what he found in books about our Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—his reports would contain much falsehood. How much more, then, would this apply to the books of the People of the Book, given the long passage of time, the alteration of their religion, the divisions among its adherents, and the many followers of falsehood among them?

This is a matter to which Muslims should pay close attention. They should examine the way of the Companions of the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—who knew best what he brought and knew best which teachings of the People of the Book, the polytheists, the Magians, and the Sabians opposed it. This is indeed a fundamental principle. Hence the leading scholars, such as Ahmad ibn Hanbal and others, said: “The foundations of the Sunnah lie in adhering to the way of the Companions of the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace.”

Whoever reflects on this subject will find that many religious innovations were introduced on the strength of reports originating with those peoples. Examples include reports about the merits of particular places in Syria—mountains, caves, sites associated with the prophets, and the like. Among these are the accounts concerning Mount Qāsiyūn, the sites associated with the prophets there, and the merit of visiting them. Some fabricators among the shaykhs have even claimed that visiting a cave there three times is equivalent to performing Hajj. They call it “the Stations of the Prophets.” The reports related on this subject do not go back to the Companions, but come only from those