but what is contained in the Book, the Sunnah, and the consensus is true, with no falsehood in it whatsoever. Whatever rational arguments are known to be true are indeed true. Yet many of their proponents treat conjecture as certainty because of specious reasoning and desire. As for them:

“They follow nothing but conjecture and what their souls desire, although guidance has certainly come to them from their Lord.”

This is demonstrated by their frequent disagreements, despite their intelligence, over questions and arguments that one considers unquestionably sound while another considers unquestionably unsound. Indeed, the same person may be certain of their soundness at one time and of their unsoundness at another. Nothing of this kind occurs in what is revealed by Allah. The utmost that may occur is that:

“When he recited, Satan cast something into his recitation. But Allah abolishes what Satan casts, then Allah makes His verses firm. And Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.”

At most, this amounts to a slip of the tongue that Allah corrects, so it does not persist. Everything the community has received from the Messenger, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, is truth containing no falsehood; guidance containing no error; light containing no darkness; and healing and salvation. Praise be to Allah, who guided us to this. We would never have been guided had Allah not guided us.