Since this is so, whoever seeks to be gathered with a shaykh whose ultimate fate he does not know is misguided. Rather, he must take what he knows as his basis and ask Allah to gather him with His Prophet and His righteous servants. As Allah Most High says:

“If you both support one another against him, then Allah is his Protector, as are Gabriel and the righteous believers.”

Allah Most High also says:

“Your only allies are Allah, His Messenger, and those who believe—those who establish prayer, give zakah, and bow in worship.”

“Whoever takes Allah, His Messenger, and those who believe as allies—indeed, it is Allah’s party that will prevail.”

Accordingly, whoever loves a shaykh who contravenes the Sharia will be with him; if that shaykh is admitted to the Fire, he will be with him. It is well known that shaykhs who contravene the Book and the Sunnah are people of misguidance and ignorance. Whoever is with them will therefore share the fate of the people of misguidance and ignorance.

As for Allah’s pious friends, such as Abū Bakr, ‘Umar, ‘Uthmān, ‘Alī, and others, loving them is among the firmest bonds of faith and the greatest good deeds of the pious. If someone loves a man because of the goodness apparent to him that Allah and His Messenger love, Allah Most High will reward him for loving what Allah and His Messenger love, even if he does not know that man’s true inward state. The foundation is love of Allah and love of what Allah loves. Whoever loves Allah and loves what Allah loves is one of Allah’s friends.

Yet many people profess this love without truly fulfilling it. Allah Most High says:

“Say, ‘If you love Allah, then follow me; Allah will love you and forgive you your sins.’”

Some of the early Muslims said: “During the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, some people claimed that they