so why did he disregard it?! He went even further in his obstinacy, stating in the tenth point (p. 18): “Nothing in any of the chains upon which they rely—whether authentic or weak—states that the prayer was two rak‘ahs and was then prescribed as four after the Prophet’s migration.”

I say: In His wisdom, Allah has decreed that the obstinacy and misguidance of this man who turns away be exposed by his own pen. He denies this in all the chains, even the weak ones; so how can he say this while seeking to declare Aishah’s hadith weak, when one wording of it, in the previously cited narration of Ma‘mar, states: “The prayer was prescribed as two rak‘ahs; then the Prophet migrated, and it was prescribed as four...” This very wording was cited by this man himself in his treatise (p. 20). It is therefore an explicit text that contradicts what he denied. Was this due to inadvertence or deliberate disregard? Both are equally bitter.

This hadith explicitly attributes the matter to the Prophet, thus invalidating his claim that it is attributed only to the Companion. It is sufficient that it is found in Sahih al-Bukhari, in addition to having been transmitted through other chains, as mentioned above. As for his claim that it is anomalous and weak, that is even more baseless than his previous claim, for no Muslim before him has said this. I have just cited Ibn Rushd’s statement that it is established by consensus.

Indeed, I say that it is certainly authentic, for it is among the hadiths of the two Sahihs that the Ummah has received with acceptance. It makes no difference whether it is understood as indicating obligation or recommendation. Any hadith in the two Sahihs that is of this nature yields certain knowledge, as is established in hadith terminology. For this, consult Ibn Kathir’s Commentary on the Abridgement of the Hadith Sciences.

Therefore, I fear that he may fall under the warning in Allah Most High’s words:

“And whoever opposes the Messenger after guidance has become clear to him, and follows a path other than that of the believers, We will leave him to what he has chosen and drive him into Hell—what an evil destination!” (al-Nisa 4:115)

If the reader knew the reasons that led him to oppose the Muslims, he would be even more astonished with me at his audacity in opposing them. They may be summarized as follows: