And it is submission to Allah alone. This is achieved only by obeying Him in what He commands at the time. Thus, obeying each prophet was part of the religion of Islam in his time. Facing Jerusalem was part of the religion of Islam before that command was abrogated. Then, when Allah commanded that the Kaaba be faced, facing it became part of the religion of Islam, and facing the Rock was no longer part of it. This is why the Jews and Christians departed from the religion of Islam: they abandoned obedience to Allah and belief in His Messenger, replacing these with what had been altered or abrogated.

Likewise, anyone who invents a religion contrary to the Messenger’s sunnah follows only an altered or abrogated religion. Whatever a person follows in opposition to what the Messenger brought either had been prescribed for a prophet and was then abrogated through Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, or had never been prescribed at all. The latter is like the religions that the devils ordained through their allies. Allah Most High says:

“Or do they have partners who have ordained for them a religion that Allah has not permitted?”

He also says:

“Indeed, the devils inspire their allies to dispute with you. If you obey them, you will indeed be associating partners with Allah.”

And He says:

“Thus We have appointed for every prophet enemies—devils from among mankind and jinn—who inspire one another with embellished speech to deceive. Had your Lord willed, they would not have done so. So leave them and what they fabricate.”

For this reason, whenever one of the Companions expressed an opinion of his own, he would say:

“If it is correct, it is from Allah; if it is mistaken, it is from me and from Satan. Allah and His Messenger are innocent