if you say: Explain to me the procedure in this referral so that the benefit is complete, and the truth is distinguished from other than it, and the one who is correct from the one who errs in this matter. I say: Open your ears to what I say, prepare your understanding for it, and sharpen your mind for it. Here I am clarifying for you the required method. I will explain to you what will leave no doubt with you afterward, nor will your mind and understanding be accompanied by confusion regarding it, so I say: Allāh, the Exalted, said: "And whatever the Messenger has given you - take; and what he has forbidden you - refrain from" (al-Ḥashr, 59:7). This verse obligates the servants to comply with what the Messenger (ṣallá Allāhu ʿalayhi wa-sallam) has commanded and to adhere to it, and to refrain from what he has forbidden and to leave it. And He, the Exalted, said: "Say, [O Muḥammad], 'If you should love Allāh, then follow me, [so] Allāh will love you'" (Āl ʿImrān, 3:31). In this verse, the obligatory love of Allāh for every servant of His is contingent upon following His Messenger (ṣallá Allāhu ʿalayhi wa-sallam), and that this is the criterion by which the servant's love for his Lord is recognized in the considered manner, and it is the reason by which the servant deserves that Allāh loves him. And Allāh, the Exalted, said: "He who obeys the Messenger has obeyed Allāh" (al-Nisāʾ, 4:80). In this verse, the obedience to the Messenger is obedience to Allāh. And He said: "And whoever obeys Allāh and the Messenger - those will be with the ones upon whom Allāh has bestowed favor of the prophets, the steadfast affirmers of truth, the martyrs and the righteous. And excellent are those as companions" (al-Nisāʾ, 4:69). He has made this happiness obligatory for those who obey Allāh and His Messenger, which is to be with those who are the highest in rank among the servants with Him, and the most elevated in status. And He said: "These are the limits [set by] Allāh, and whoever obeys Allāh and His Messenger will be admitted by Him to gardens [in Paradise] under which rivers flow, abiding eternally therein; and that is the great attainment. But whoever disobeys Allāh and His Messenger and transgresses His limits - He will put him into the Fire to abide eternally therein, and he will have a humiliating punishment" (al-Nisāʾ, 4:13-14). And Allāh, the Exalted, said: "And whoever obeys Allāh
فإن قلت: بين لي العمل في هذا الرد حتى تتم الفائدة، ويتضح الحق من غيره، والمصيب من المخطئ في هذه المسألة. قلت: افتح لما أقوله سمعا، واتخذ له فهما، وأرهف له ذهنا. وها أنا أوضح لك الكيفية المطلوبة. وأبين لك مالا يبقى عندك بعده ريب، ولا يصاحب ذهنك وفهمك عنده لبس، فأقول: قال الله سبحانه: ﴿وَمَا آتَاكُمُ الرَّسُولُ فَخُذُوهُ وَمَا نَهَاكُمْ عَنْهُ فَانْتَهُوا﴾ فهذه الآية فيها الإيجاب على العباد بالائتمار بما أمر به الرسول ﷺ والأخذ به، والانتهاء عما نهى عنه ﷺ وتركه. وقال سبحانه: ﴿قُلْ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ تُحِبُّونَ اللَّهَ فَاتَّبِعُونِي يُحْبِبْكُمُ اللَّهُ﴾ ، ففي هذه الآية: تعليق محبة الله الواجبة على كل عبد من عباده باتباع رسوله ﷺ، وأن ذلك هو المعيار الذي يعرف به محبة العبد لربه على الوجه المعتبر، وأنه السبب الذي يستحق به العبد أن يحبه الله. وقال الله سبحانه: ﴿مَنْ يُطِعِ الرَّسُولَ فَقَدْ أَطَاعَ اللَّهَ﴾ ففي هذه الآية: أن طاعة الرسول طاعة لله. وقال: ﴿وَمَنْ يُطِعِ اللَّهَ وَالرَّسُولَ فَأُولَئِكَ مَعَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِمْ مِنَ النَّبِيِّينَ وَالصِّدِّيقِينَ وَالشُّهَدَاءِ وَالصَّالِحِينَ وَحَسُنَ أُولَئِكَ رَفِيقاً﴾ فأوجب هذه السعادة لمن أطاع الله ورسوله، وهى أن يكون مع هؤلاء الذين هم أرفع العباد درجة عنده، وأعلاهم منزلة. وقال: ﴿تِلْكَ حُدُودُ اللَّهِ وَمَنْ يُطِعِ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ يُدْخِلْهُ جَنَّاتٍ تَجْرِي مِنْ تَحْتِهَا الْأَنْهَارُ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا وَذَلِكَ الْفَوْزُ الْعَظِيمُ وَمَنْ يَعْصِ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ وَيَتَعَدَّ حُدُودَهُ يُدْخِلْهُ نَاراً خَالِداً فِيهَا وَلَهُ عَذَابٌ مُهِينٌ﴾ . وقال سبحانه: ﴿وَمَنْ يُطِعِ اللَّهَ