there or praying there, and have found no basis for them in reports from the Companions. Rather, they originate with those who took reports from the People of the Book.

Among the foundations of Islam is distinguishing the Book and wisdom with which Allah sent Muhammad—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—from everything else, neither mixing them with other things nor confounding truth with falsehood as the People of the Book did. For Allah, glorified is He, has perfected our religion for us, completed His favour upon us, and approved Islam as our religion. The Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—said:

“I have left you upon a clear path, whose night is as clear as its day. None will deviate from it after me except one who is doomed.”

ʿAbd Allāh ibn Masʿūd—may Allah be pleased with him—said:

“The Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—drew a line for us, then drew other lines to its right and left. He then said: ‘This is Allah’s path, and these are the other paths. At the head of each is a devil calling people to it.’ Then he recited the words of Allah Most High: ‘This is My straight path, so follow it, and do not follow other paths, lest they lead you away from His path.’”

All of this comes down to safeguarding two principles:

The first is to establish precisely what the Messenger—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—brought, without mixing it with things that do not belong to it, such as weak reports and false interpretations. Rather, due attention must be given to understanding both its transmission and its meaning.