he will feel the utmost regret for not having refrained from speaking about what does not concern him and for not having remained silent about what he does not know. How excellent is the guidance given to us by the Messenger of Allāh (ṣallá Allāhu ʿalayhi wa-sallam) in his authentic saying: "May Allāh have mercy on a person who speaks good or remains silent." This applies to someone who speaks on matters of knowledge before Allāh opens to him what is necessary, occupying himself with partisanship for scholars, and presuming to correct or criticize in matters he neither knows nor truly understands. He neither spoke well nor remained silent, thus failing to follow the etiquette to which the Messenger of Allāh (ṣallá Allāhu ʿalayhi wa-sallam) guided. When it becomes clear to you from all that we have mentioned the necessity of referring back to the Book of Allāh and the sunnah of His Messenger (ṣallá Allāhu ʿalayhi wa-sallam) by the explicit text of the noble Book and the consensus of all Muslims, you will understand that anyone who claims to people that it is possible to discern the erring scholar without this path when they differ on an issue is opposing what is in the Book of Allāh and contradicting the consensus of all Muslims. Consider, may Allāh guide you, what a crime he has committed against himself with this false claim, what disaster he has fallen into with this grievous error, what calamity his inadequacy and negligence have brought upon him, and what severe trial he has brought upon himself by speaking on matters beyond his concern. Here I will clarify for you an example of what we have mentioned regarding the differences among the people of knowledge and how to refer back to the Book of Allāh and the sunnah of His Messenger (ṣallá Allāhu ʿalayhi wa-sallam), so that the correct can be distinguished from the erroneous, and who holds the truth and who does not, until you know the truth with full knowledge, and it becomes completely clear to you, for