The decline and deviance of the Muslims began when such a...

The decline and deviance of the Muslims began when such a separation started to occur and men attempted to hold on to each one separately. The thesis "God's Book alone is enough for us" came to prevail in their religious thinking leading to the emergence of such schools as the Ash'ari and the Mu'tazilite. It was as if they knew the value of God's Book better than the Prophet himself and better comprehended its significance!

It is possible to understand the Qur'an and explain the knowledge it contains only by referring to the utterances of those persons upon whom knowledge has been directly bestowed by God or at least whose knowledge is derived from instruction by a particular source. Such persons can be only the Inerrant (ma'sum) Imams of the Prophet's Progeny.

Ibn Hajar also cites the following sentence uttered by the Prophet peace and blessings be upon him and his family: "Do not attempt to go beyond these twin trusts (the Book and the Progeny of the Prophet) for that will lead you into perdition and do not fall short in adhering to them for that too will encompass your ruin.

Do not imagine the People of the Prophet's House to be ignorant for they are infinitely more ( 64 ) knowledgeable than you and understand well the language of revelation." ( 6 ) The Commander of the Faithful 'Ali peace be upon him said: "You will never remain faithful to your covenant with the Qur'an unless you recognize who it is that has betrayed his covenant and you will never lay firm hold of the Qur'an unless you recognize who it is that has abandoned it.

Seek the straight path of fidelity and the means of adhering to the Qur'an from the people of the Qur'an for it is they who keep alive knowledge and learning and uproot ignorance. They it is by means of obedience to whom you become aware of the knowledge they hold. You comprehend their silence from their speech and their outer appearance from their inner state. They never rebel against ~e command of religion and never fall into dispute.

Religion is a silent and veracious witness dwelling in their midst. " ( 7 ) What is meant here is that the Progeny of the Prophet are free from sin and pollution and even minor errors for it is obvious that whatever is indissolubly linked to the Qur'an until both trusts are brought together before the Prophet peace and blessings be upon him and his family on the Day of Resurrection must be followed and obeyed by mankind together with the Qur'an itself.