and who seek to reconcile the various sects, despite their differing doctrines and divergent paths, with Ahl al-Sunnah wa-l-Jamāʿah.

How far apart the two states! If you seek to unite them,
Two opposites can never come together.
How far apart the two armies! Let anyone in doubt
Look upon the two sides.

What is right and obligatory in this matter is to adhere to the Book and the Sunnah, hold fast to what they contain, and reject all else that is falsehood, misguidance or deviation, as already explained and established in the preceding words of Shaykh al-Islām.

Accordingly, the many works written by Ahl al-Sunnah to refute the people of innovation and desires are intended to express sincere devotion to Allah, His Messenger and His Book, and sincere counsel to the leaders of the Muslims and Muslims at large. They invite the person being refuted to examine himself and weigh his statements, in the hope that he will return to sound judgment and abandon his error and falsehood. They also protect Muslim society from the falsehood disseminated in the book of an innovator who promotes falsehood and spreads misguidance.

One of our contemporary shaykhs was not far from the mark when he said: “Just as places are set aside in our time to quarantine those with infectious diseases, the people of innovation and desires who call others to their falsehood are more deserving of quarantine than those people. For they sicken hearts and corrupt people’s religion, whereas those with infectious diseases damage bodies and cause physical illness.”

But where can we find someone to gag their mouths, cut out their tongues and break their pens, as ʿUmar ibn al-Khattāb—may Allah be pleased with him—did to Sabīgh, and as Khālid al-Qasrī did to al-Jaʿd? To Allah we complain.

Now, among those who bear the banners of innovation and hold the reins of strife in our time is a young contemporary Jahmī who has taken it upon himself to spread misguidance and falsehood, attack the people of truth and the Sunnah, and glorify