judgments on bases other than their correct ones, so they sometimes fall into contradiction with those bases and end up with contradictory judgments. He reconciled between them, so this was his theorizing about the relationship between the base and the branch, from interdependence and homogeneity, calling for the reform of jurisprudential thinking by making the establishment of principles a methodology for it that protects it.

Rules for the Obligation of the Principle: Al-Mahdi is keen on making the principle the focal point of his statements and analyses for all jurisprudential rules and opinions. In this context, after defining the reality of the principle and its rulings, and explaining the way of its establishment and its relationship with the branch, he arrived at defining the rules upon which the obligation of man with principles and their subsequent branches is based, and the foundations that necessitate their obligation upon him. He included within this section a large number of jurisprudential issues, arranging them into four basic rules, without which the obligation of principles and the obligation to adhere to them cannot be established except by their establishment and belief in them. These rules are: the issuance of obligation from Allah Almighty, the establishment of promise and threat, the ability of the obligated, and the indication of language. This is a detailed explanation of these rules.

Issuance of Obligation from Allah Almighty: The issuance of obligation from Allah Almighty is a prerequisite for the obligation of any person. If the obligation were from someone other than Allah, then no one would be more obligated than another, as all created beings are equal. The exclusivity of Allah Almighty in issuing obligations negates any obligation from any other created being. The Messenger himself is only an intermediary, because direct obligation from Allah Almighty is impossible.

Ibn Tumart mentioned seven rules, but by combining the repeated and similar ones, we made them four. (See: A'azz ma Yutlab: 27). Al-Ghazali mentioned this meaning in the second pillar of judgment, which is the judge, and he said: "The Prophet, the Sultan, the master, the father, and the husband, if they command and obligate, nothing becomes obligatory by their obligation, but rather by the obligation of Allah Almighty to obey them." (Al-Mustasfa, 1/148). (See also in this regard: Al-Baghdadi, Usul al-Din: 333).