[The third view]

[6484] Abu Yazid al-Qaratisi reported to us in what he wrote to me, Asbagh ibn al-Faraj narrated to us, he said: I heard 'Abd al-Rahman ibn Zayd ibn Aslam saying regarding His saying: "To each of you We have appointed a Shar'ah (law)," he said: A religion.

[His saying, the Exalted: "...and a Minhaj (method)"]

[The first view]

[6485] Abu Sa'id al-Ashajj narrated to us, Waki' narrated to us, from Sufyan, from Abu Ishaq, from al-Tamimi, from Ibn 'Abbas regarding His saying: "And a Minhaj," he said: A Sunnah. A similar [report] was narrated from Mujahid (in one of the two narrations), al-Husayn, 'Ikrimah, al-Suddi, al-Dahhak, and Abu Ishaq al-Hamdani.

[The second view]

[6486] Hajjaj ibn Hamzah narrated to us, Shababah narrated to us, Warqa' narrated to us, from Abu Najih, from Mujahid regarding His saying: "And a Minhaj," he said: A path (sabil). A similar [report] was narrated from 'Ata' al-Khurasani.

[The third view]

[6487] Al-Hasan ibn Abi al-Rabi' narrated to us, 'Abd al-Razzaq informed us, 'Umar informed us, from Qatadah regarding His saying: "To each of you We have appointed a Shar'ah (law) and a Minhaj (method)," he said: The religion is one, but the laws (shara'i') are different.

[6488] Muhammad ibn Yahya narrated to us, al-'Abbas ibn al-Walid informed us, Yazid ibn Zuray' narrated to us, Sa'id narrated to us, from Qatadah regarding His saying: "To each of you We have appointed a Shar'ah and a Minhaj," he says: A path and a Sunnah. The Sunnahs differ; in the Torah there is a law (shari'ah), for the Gospel there is a law, and the Furqan (Qur'an) is a law. Allah makes lawful in them whatever He wills and forbids whatever He wills, so that He may know who obeys Him (from among those who disobey Him). The religion that is not accepted otherwise is the monotheism (tawhid) and the sincerity (ikhlas) which the Messengers came with.

His saying, the Exalted: "And if Allah had willed, He would have made you one nation"

[6489] Abu Sa'id al-Ashajj narrated to us, Abu Khalid narrated to us, from Juwaybir, from al-Dahhak, regarding: "And if Allah had willed, He would have made you one nation," he said: People of one religion, either people of misguidance or people of guidance.