May Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him.

Another aspect of sincere counsel to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ is true adherence to him: never going beyond his law nor falling short of it, but taking him as your imam in every act of worship. The Messenger ﷺ is the imam of this community and the one to be followed, and it is not permissible for anyone to follow another—except as a conduit to the Messenger, that is, a scholar who possesses knowledge of the sunnah that you do not. In that case there is no harm in following such a person, provided you believe he is only a link between you and the sacred law, not an independent authority. No one may legislate independently except the Messenger ﷺ by Allah’s command; everyone else merely conveys on his behalf, as he ﷺ said: “Convey from me, even if it is only a single verse.”

Sincere counsel to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ also includes defending and safeguarding his law: ensuring that no one diminishes it and that no one inserts into it what does not belong. Thus you must confront the people of innovation—whether their innovations are verbal, practical, or creedal—for all innovations stem from the same root; all of them are misguidance, as the Messenger ﷺ declared: “Every innovation is misguidance.” No exception is made, be the innovation verbal, practical, or creedal. Anything that conflicts with the guidance of the Prophet ﷺ in belief, speech, or action is an innovation. Part of sincere counsel to the Messenger ﷺ, therefore, is to oppose the people of innovation with the very means by which they oppose the sunnah: if they fight with words, answer them with words; if they fight with deeds, answer them with deeds—in just recompense.