VOLUME TWENTY
THE BOOK OF THE PRINCIPLES OF ISLAMIC JURISPRUDENCE
PART TWO:
ADHERENCE TO A SCHOOL OF LAW

In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Bestower of Mercy.

All praise belongs to Allah alone, and may blessings and peace be upon him after whom there is no prophet.

Shaykh al-Islām Ahmad ibn Taymiyyah—may Allah Most High have mercy on him—said:

All praise belongs to Allah. We praise Him, seek His help and forgiveness, believe in Him, and place our trust in Him. We extol Him with the praise He deserves, and we seek refuge in Allah from the evil within ourselves and from our evil deeds. Whoever Allah guides, none can lead astray; and whoever He leads astray, none can guide.

We bear witness that none is worthy of worship except Allah alone, with no partner. And we bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger, whom He sent before the Hour as a bearer of glad tidings and a warner, one who calls to Allah by His permission, and an illuminating lamp. He sent him with guidance and the religion of truth to make it prevail over all religion, and Allah is sufficient as a witness. Through him, He guided people out of error, taught them out of ignorance, gave them sight after blindness, and led them away from misguidance. Through him, He opened deaf ears, blind eyes, and veiled hearts. May Allah bestow abundant blessings and peace upon him, his family, and his Companions.

To proceed:

Allah, glory be to Him, has made His noble Self known to us through what He has told us in