Now, you are familiar with our book and are able to contemplate, think, and examine it with equity. Does that justify the preaching of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him and his progeny, for 23 years, his calling to the obedience to Allah and compliance with His commands, his prohibiting disobedience, his legislating the Shari`ah for them, establishing wise legislation (dustūran hakīman) for them to live long and righteous lives? Then there is no reason that after all of this intense exertion and bitter struggle, he says to them: “You can do whatever you like. You can avoid the obligations and perform the prohibitions and I‟ll intercede for you.” All that was built will be destroyed. All that was established will be ruined. The Shari`ah will be violated from beginning to end {…like the one who untwisted her spun thread after it was strong} (Q. 16:92). O brother, can one wisely accept something like this and reconcile it with elaborate narrations? The ruling of your intellect and that of the Qur‟ān in which there‟s {no falsehood can approach it from before or behind it: It is sent down by One Full of Wisdom, Worthy of all Praise} (Q. 41:42). Allah and His Messenger forbade these falsehoods. The true statement is: If such actions are not those of a president of a people, leader of a group, or head of a family, then it is not those of the Messenger of the Lord of the Worlds and Seal of the Prophets.

It is narrated on the authority of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him and his progeny, that which counters these narrations. Abu „Abbās al-Hassani narrated in his Isnad on the authority of Musa bin „Abdullah bin Hassan bin „Ali bin Hassan, upon him be peace, on the authority of his ancestors on the authority of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him and his progeny:

((There will be those who will approach me at the Basin (al-Hawđ) but will be driven away. I will say, “O Lord, my companions, my companions!” The reply would be, “O Muhammad, they innovated after you and contravened your sunnah!” Then I will say, “Away with them! Away with them!” (sahqān) ))

Al-Bukhāri narrated in his Sahīh on the authority of Ibn „Abbās that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him and his progeny said:

((The first to be dressed on the Day of Resurrection, will be Abraham, and some of my companions will be taken towards the left side [i.e. to the (Hell) Fire], and I will say: “My companions! My companions!” It will be said: “You don‟t know that they innovated after you left them.” Then I will say as the righteous slave of Allah [i.e. Jesus] said: {“And I was a witness over them while I dwelt amongst them. When You took me up, You were the Watcher over them, And You are a witness to all things. If You punish them, they are Your slaves; and if You forgive them, verily only You are the All-Mighty, the All-Wise.”} (Q. 5:120-121)))

It is also narrated on the authority of Ibn Mas‟ud:

((I am your predecessor at the Basin of Kawthar and some men amongst you will be brought to me, and when I will try to hand them some water, they will be pulled away from me by force; whereupon I will say, “O Lord, my companions!” Then the Almighty will say, “You do not know what they did after you left, they introduced new things into the religion after you.”)).

The same is narrated on the authority of Hudhayfa [al-Yamani].

It is narrated on the authority of Anas:

((Some of my companions will come to me at my Basin, and after I recognize them, they