the truth and agrees with it, even if he is alone, and the one who does not have the evidence of the Book and the sunnah is the one who has not attained the truth, but rather has erred, even if they are numerous. Therefore, it is not for a scholar, a student, or anyone who understands—even if they are deficient—to say that the truth is with the one who is followed among the scholars if the evidence of the Book and the sunnah is with someone else. For that is great ignorance, reprehensible fanaticism, and a complete departure from the circle of fairness, because the truth is not known by men, but men are known by the truth. None of the scholarly mujtahids and verifying imams are infallible, and whoever is not infallible is liable to make mistakes just as he is liable to be correct; thus, he may be right at times and wrong at others. His correctness from his error is only discerned by referring to the evidence of the Book and the sunnah. If he agrees with them, he is correct; if he opposes them, he is mistaken. There is no disagreement in this matter among all Muslims, from the first to the last, the early and the later, the great and the small. This is known to everyone who has the slightest share of knowledge and the smallest portion of understanding. Whoever does not understand this and acknowledge it should blame himself and know that he has wronged himself by delving into matters that are not his concern and entering into what his ability does not reach and his understanding does not penetrate. He should restrain his pen and tongue, occupy himself with seeking knowledge, and dedicate himself to seeking the sciences of ijtihād through which he can attain knowledge of the Book and the sunnah and understand their meanings, distinguish between their evidences, and strive in researching the sunnah and its sciences until he can differentiate between its authentic and weak, its accepted and rejected. He should consider the words of the great imams from the predecessors and successors of this ummah until he is guided by their words to reach his desired goal. For if he does not do this and prioritizes engaging in what we have mentioned, he will regret what he neglected before learning these
الحق ووافقه، وإن كان واحدا، والذي لم يكن معه دليل الكتاب والسنة هو الذي لم يصب الحق، بل أخطأه، وإن كان عددا كثيرا، فليس لعالم ولا لمتعلم ولا لمن يفهم- وإن كان مقصرا- أن يقول: إن الحق بيد من يقتدى به من العلماء، إن كان دليل الكتاب والسنة بيد غيره. فإن ذلك جهل عظيم، وتعصب ذميم، وخروج من دائرة الإنصاف بالمرة، لأن الحق لا يعرف بالرجال، بل الرجال يعرفون بالحق. وليس أحد من العلماء المجتهدين والأئمة المحققين بمعصوم، ومن لم يكن معصوما فإنه يجوز عليه الخطأ كما يجوز عليه الصواب، فيصيب تارة ويخطئ أخرى. ولا يتبين صوابه من خطئه إلا بالرجوع إلى دليل الكتاب والسنة، فإن وافقهما فهو مصيب، وإن خالفهما فهو مخطئ ولا خلاف في هذه الجملة بين جميع المسلمين أولهم وآخرهم، سابقهم ولاحقهم، كبيرهم وصغيرهم، وهذا يعرفه كل من له أدنى حظ من العلم، وأحقر نصيب من العرفان، ومن لم يفهم هذا ويعترف به فليتهم نفسه، ويعلم أنه قد جنى على نفسه بالخوض فيما ليس من شأنه، والدخول فيما لا تبلغ إليه قدرته، ولا ينفذ فيه فهمه. وعليه أن يمسك قلمه ولسانه، ويشتغل بطلب العلم، ويفرغ نفسه لطلب علوم الاجتهاد التي يتوصل بها إلى معرفة الكتاب والسنة وفهم معانيهما، والتمييز بين دلائلهما، ويجتهد في البحث في السنة وعلومها، حتى يتميز عنده صحيحها من سقيمها، ومقبولها من مردودها، وينظر في كلام الأئمة الكبار من سلف هذه الأمة وخلفها حتى يهتدي بكلامهم إلى الوصول إلى مطلوبه. فإنه إن لم يفعل هذا وقدم الاشتغال بما قدمنا، ندم على ما فرط منه قبل أن يتعلم هذه