Translation of the letter:
I am a well-wishing brother to you. I call you to distinguish between the truth and falsehood so that you do not perish, and I invite you to know the truthful from liars so that you do not remain in loss; because you have always been in loss since the first day; as your Lord has said: ﴿إِنَّ الْإِنْسَانَ لَفِي خُسْرٍ﴾[1]; “Indeed, the human being is surely in loss,” and your deliverance from loss is contingent on two things, as the flight of birds into the sky is contingent on two wings, and those two things are indeed faith and righteous deed; as He has said: ﴿إِلَّا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ﴾[2]; “Except for those who have faith and do righteous deeds.”
As for faith, it is belief in the truth and disbelief in falsehood, and this cannot be attained except through the knowledge of the truth and falsehood. And as for righteous deed, it is acting on whatever the truth requires and avoiding whatever falsehood requires, and this too cannot be attained except through the knowledge of the truth and falsehood. Therefore, the knowledge of the truth and falsehood is inevitably the foundation and starting point of faith and righteous deed. The example of this knowledge in relation to these two is like that of a foundation to a building, a head to a body, or prayer to other deeds. Will a building remain firm in its place if it has no foundation?! Or will a person benefit from his bodily organs if he has no head?! Or will his Hajj and fasting be accepted from him if he has no prayer?! Likewise, he who has no knowledge is not a believer, nor will any righteous deed benefit him.
I tell you the truth: If a man dies between Safa and Marwa or clinging to the curtains of the Kaaba, having the righteous deeds of all jinn and humankind, yet fails to know the truth and its people from falsehood and its people, he has indeed died a death of ignorance and entered the Fire. From here, it becomes obligatory upon you to know the truth and its people from falsehood and its people, and to prioritize this knowledge over every righteous deed. And know that without this knowledge, no faith is for you, and no prayer, or fasting, or Hajj, or Zakat will benefit you, and you will be among the losers.
