Chapter 1: On Love and Hatred

And for this reason, the virtue of this word was mentioned: "There is no god but Allah." The evidences make this place insufficient to mention it. It is the best of words, and what it contains of knowledge and love is the best of knowledge and loves, as in the hadith found in the collections of hadith: "The best of remembrance is 'There is no god but Allah'."

And the verse that contains it is the greatest verse in the Qur’an, as in Sahih Muslim, where the Prophet ﷺ said to Ubayy bin Ka’b: "O Abu al-Mundhir! Do you know which is the greatest verse in the Book of Allah?" He said: "Allah - there is no god except Him, the Ever-Living, the Sustainer" [al-Baqarah: 255]. He said: "Then he struck my chest with his hand," and said: "May knowledge bring you joy, O Abu al-Mundhir."

And when every movement exists, its foundation was the love and will of the Beloved, desired for His Own sake. He does not love another, for if every thing were loved by another, it would imply circularity or infinite regression. And a thing may be loved for one aspect but not another, yet there is nothing loved for itself in every aspect except Allah alone - no divinity is valid except for Him. For had there been in them [the heavens and the earth] gods besides Allah, they would have been corrupted.

And the divinity mentioned in the Book of Allah is worship and absolute devotion, and among its prerequisites is that He is the Lord, the Creator. As for what some groups among the people of theology believe - that divinity is identical to lordship, and that what is mentioned in the Qur’an regarding the denial of another god (alongside the clear examples given) aims only to negate a lord who shares with Him in the creation of the world, as they commonly assert in their theological books - this is a deficiency and a failure in their understanding of the Qur’an. The arguments and examples presented in it [from the speculative method], according to the extent of their knowledge, were what they followed; thus, they believed the two concepts are one, but it is not so. Rather, the Qur’an denies that any other besides Allah should be worshipped or taken as a god, loving and submitting to him with the love and submission unique to divinity, as most Qur’anic verses explain, such as His saying - the Most High: "And among the people are those who take, besides Allah, rivals" [al-Baqarah: 165]. For this reason, the Friend [Abraham] said: "I do not love those that set" [al-An‘ām: 76].

And it is known that every living being has a will and acts according to it, and that everything in motion finds the origin of its movement in love and will. And there is no rectitude for existing beings unless the perfection of their love and movement is directed to Allah—the Most High—just as they have no existence unless Allah creates them.

And He - the Most High - said: "Had there been within them [the heavens and the earth] gods besides Allah, they both would have been corrupted" [al-Anbiyā’: 22], and He did not say "they would have perished", for He is capable of sustaining them in a state of corruption, but they cannot be upright unless they worship Allah alone, without any partner. For the rectitude of a living being lies in the rectitude of its purpose and desire, and the rectitude of its actions and movements depends on the rectitude of its will and intention.

And this was among the most concise discourses and his ﷺ most eloquent words: "Verily, deeds are but by intentions, and every person will have only what they intended." And this encompasses every action and every intention.

For every action in the world is according to the intention of its doer, and the doer will attain nothing except what they intended, sought, loved, and desired through their action. There is no specialization or restriction in this, as some groups of people assume - for they believe that intention is solely the legally prescribed intention, thus requiring actions to be confined to legally valid acts. Yet intention exists for every being that moves, as the Prophet ﷺ said in the authentic hadith: "The truest names are Al-Harith and Hammam." Al-Harith is the one who labors and strives, and Hammam is the one who intends and desires (المريد, not الهوى). And every human who moves by their will is Al-Harith and Hammam.

As we have explained, love and will are the foundation of every action. Thus, every action in the world stems from will and love.

Consequently, this necessitates that love and will be divided into what is beloved by Allah and what is not, just as actions and movements are likewise divided.

And being so, love has effects and consequences - whether correct, praiseworthy, and beneficial, or otherwise. It brings joy and sweetness, delight, union and rejection, as well as happiness, sorrow, and weeping.

The praiseworthy love is the beneficial love - that which brings its possessor what is beneficial to them, which is happiness. The harmful love is that which brings its possessor what harms them, and that is misery.

It is known that a conscious living being does not choose to love what harms them; rather, this occurs due to ignorance and injustice. For one may desire what harms them and does not benefit them, and this is an injustice against oneself. It may also stem from ignorance regarding their own condition - desiring and loving something without knowledge of whether their love entails benefit or harm - and thus they follow their desires. This is the state of those who follow their passions without knowledge.

And this may arise from a corrupt belief, which is the state of those who follow conjecture and their own whims. All of these are matters of pre-Islamic ignorance (Jahiliyya), though those who are ignorant and commit them are seldom free from doubts that they confuse with the truth. Yet their desire, in its origin, is praiseworthy if placed in its proper context - such as the case of one who loves to meet their relative. This is commendable and forms the basis of maintaining kinship ties, which is a branch of the Merciful.

However, if one follows their desire to the point of transgressing justice among relatives and others, this would be injustice - as He, the Most High, said: "And when you speak, be just, even if it concerns a relative" [al-An‘ām: 152]. And He, the Most High, said: "Be steadfast in justice, witnesses for Allah, even if it is against yourselves, your parents, or your relatives" [an-Nisā’: 135].

Likewise, the love for food, drink, and women is praiseworthy, and through it, the condition of the children of Adam is improved. Were it not for this, genealogies would not have been preserved, nor would there be progeny. However, there must be justice and moderation in it, as He—the Most High—said: "And eat and drink, but do not waste" [al-A‘rāf: 31]. And as He—the Most High—said: "Except with their wives or what their right hands possess, for then they are not to be blamed. But whoever seeks beyond that, it is they who are the transgressors" [al-Mu’minūn: 6-7].

Thus, if one exceeds the bounds of justice - which is the lawful - they become a vulgar oppressor, in accordance with their oppression and transgression.

We have mentioned on numerous occasions that the lawful, the beneficial, the upright, the just, the truth, and the good are equivalent in name - their referent is essentially one, even if their attributes vary - similar to the Most Beautiful Names of Allah. Thus, His Names - the Most High - the names of His Book, His religion, and His Prophet, the referent of each attribute is one, even if their attributes are diverse. Therefore, every correct action is beneficial for its doer, and vice versa; every correctly beneficial thing is lawful, and vice versa; and everything that is correctly legislated is the truth and justice, and vice versa.

However, people may perceive one of the two attributes and infer the existence of the other. For instance, knowing that Allah commanded and legislated a particular act leads to the necessary conclusion that it constitutes obedience to Allah and His Messenger. That act in itself must be a righteous deed - which is what is beneficial - and must be true and just. This is a text-based deduction.

At other times, one may recognize that the essence of something is beneficial, just, or good, then infer from this that it is legislated—being upright, just, or good—and subsequently deduce its lawfulness. This is a deduction based on istislāh, istihsān , and analogy, to establish its legality.

This method carries great danger and significant error due to the obscurity of the attributes of actions and their circumstances. And none possesses complete knowledge of this as it truly should be except the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.

Reasoning based on interests - sometimes referred to as unregulated interests - occurs when something is perceived as beneficial, and there is nothing in the Sacred Law that negates it, thus leading to the deduction that it is part of Islamic Law.

Istihsān is when something is deemed good, and its goodness is taken as evidence that it belongs to the Law.

Justice is when something is recognized to have an analogous or similar counterpart, and its legal ruling is deduced from the ruling of that counterpart. But this is not the place to elaborate on it.

Nevertheless, the wisest among people are those whose opinions, istislāh, istihsān, and reasoning align with the texts - as Mujāhid said: "The best worship is sound opinion," meaning adherence to the Sunnah. And this is as He - the Most High - said: "And those who have been given knowledge see that what has been revealed to you from your Lord is the Truth" [Saba’: 6].

For this reason, the early scholars referred to those whose opinions contradicted the Sunnah and the Law in matters of creed and practical rulings as "the people of desires" (ahl al-ahwā’), because an opinion opposing the Sunnah is ignorance, not knowledge. Thus, its follower is among those who pursue their desires without knowledge.

And Allah mentions this in the Qur’ān regarding those who follow their desires without knowledge, condemning those who follow their desires without Allah’s guidance - as He, the Most High, said: "And who is more astray than he who follows his desire without guidance from Allah?" [al-Qaṣaṣ: 50]. And He - the Most High - said: "And indeed, many lead [others] astray through their desires without knowledge. Your Lord knows best the transgressors" [al-An‘ām: 119].

And whoever follows their desires does so without knowledge, for there is no knowledge of it except through Allah's guidance - the guidance with which Allah sent His Messengers. As He - the Most High - said: "If guidance comes to you from Me, whoever follows My guidance will neither go astray nor suffer misery. But whoever turns away from My Reminder will indeed have a life of hardship, and We will raise them blind on the Day of Resurrection" [Ṭāhā: 123-124]. For this reason, Allah condemned desires in numerous places in His Book.

Following desires manifests in love and hatred, as He - the Most High - said: "O Dawūd! We have made you a successor on earth. So judge between people with truth and do not follow desire, lest it lead you astray from the way of Allah. Indeed, those who stray from the way of Allah will have a severe punishment for having forgotten the Day of Reckoning" [Ṣād: 26]. Here, following desires means opposing the truth in judgment.

He - the Most High - also said: "O you who believe! Stand firm in justice, as witnesses for Allah, even if it be against yourselves, your parents, or your relatives. Whether rich or poor, Allah is nearer to them than you are. So do not follow desires, lest you swerve from justice. And if you distort or refuse, surely Allah is All-Aware of what you do" [an-Nisā’: 135]. Here, following desires refers to opposing justice in testimony and other matters. Truth is justice, and following desires against it is a form of injustice.

Never will the Jews nor the Christians be pleased with you until you follow their religion. Say: 'Indeed, the guidance of Allah is the only true guidance.' And if you were to follow their desires after the knowledge that has come to you, you would have from Allah no protector nor helper" [al-Baqarah: 120]. Here, He prohibits following the desires of the People of the Book after the knowledge that has come to you.

Likewise, He - the Most High - says in another verse: "And if you follow their desires after the knowledge that has come to you" [al-Baqarah: 145]. And He - the Most High -says: "So judge between them by what Allah has revealed and do not follow their desires, and beware of them lest they turn you away from what Allah has revealed to you. And if they turn away, then know that Allah only intends to afflict them for some of their sins" [al-Mā’idah: 49].

And He - the Most High - says: "Say: 'Bring forward your witnesses who testify that Allah has forbidden this.' And if they testify, do not testify with them, nor follow the desires of those who deny Our signs and those who do not believe in the Hereafter, while they associate others with their Lord" [al-An‘ām: 150].

He was prohibited from following the desires of the idolaters and the People of the Book, and was warned against letting them divert him from the truth Allah had revealed to him. This includes the prohibition against following the desires of anyone who opposes His Law (Sharīʿa) and His Sunnah—as well as the desires of the innovators within this Ummah.

This is made clear in His saying - the Most High: "Then We placed you upon a clear way Sharīʿa of the Command - so follow it, and do not follow the desires of those who have no knowledge. Indeed, they will never avail you against Allah. And indeed, the wrongdoers are allies of one another, while Allah is the Protector of the righteous" [al-Jāthiyah: 18-19]. Here, He commanded him to follow the established Law and prohibited him from following what contradicts it - that is, the desires of the ignorant.

Thus, anyone who deviates from the Sharīʿa and the Sunnah is among the people of desires (ahl al-ahwā’), as the Salaf used to call them.

And He - the Most High - says: "Had the Truth followed their desires, the heavens and the earth and all within them would have been corrupted" [al-Mu’minūn: 71].

And He - the Most High - says: "O People of the Scripture! Do not exaggerate in your religion beyond the truth, and do not follow the desires of a people who went astray before and misled many, and have strayed from the sound way" [al-Mā’idah: 77].

And He - the Most High - says: "And what prevents you from eating that over which Allah's Name has been mentioned, when He has already detailed for you what He has forbidden to you - except when compelled by necessity? Indeed, many go astray through their desires without knowledge" [al-An'ām: 119].

And He - the Most High - says: "They said: 'Why has he not been given something like what was given to Moses before?'" until His saying: "Bring a Book from Allah that is better guidance than these two, and I will follow it, if you are truthful. But if they do not respond to you, then know that they only follow their desires. And who is more astray than one who follows his desire without guidance from Allah?" [al-Qaṣaṣ: 48-50].

And He - the Most High - says: "And among them are those who listen to you, until when they depart from you, they say to those who were given knowledge: 'What did he say just now?' These are the ones whose hearts Allah has sealed and who follow their desires. But as for those who are guided, He increases them in guidance and grants them their righteousness" [Muḥammad: 16-17].

He mentions those who were given knowledge - they are the ones who know that what was revealed to him from his Lord is the truth and understand what he brought. He also mentions those whose hearts are sealed - they barely comprehend and follow desires, asking "What did the Messenger say just now?" This is the condition of one who does not understand the Book and the Sunnah, but finds them difficult and incomprehensible, or recites them contradictorily and indifferently—which is a characteristic of the hypocrites.

Then He mentioned the quality of the believers, saying - the Most High: "And as for those who are guided, He increases them in guidance" [Muḥammad: 17]. An increase in guidance - which is the opposite of the sealing of hearts that occurs to others - and He granted them His fear (taqwā), which is the opposite of following desires.

Thus, the possessor of taqwā stands in opposition to the possessor of desires, as He - the Most High - said: "But as for he who feared the standing before his Lord and restrained himself from desires, Paradise will be [his] refuge" [an-Nāziʿāt: 40]. And He - the Most High - said: "When the disbelievers filled their hearts with rage - the rage of ignorance - Allah sent down His tranquility upon His Messenger and upon the believers, and imposed upon them the word of taqwā, for they were most worthy and deserving of it" [al-Fatḥ: 26].

Since every action and deed in the world is founded upon love and will, and any love and will not rooted in the love of Allah and the desire for His Countenance is false and corrupt. Every deed not intended for His Countenance is invalid. The actions of the two creations—the jinn and mankind—are divided into two: some worship Allah, while others do not worship Him but associate others with Him. As for the angels, they worship Allah.

All movements arising beyond the capacity of the children of Adam, the jinn, and the beasts are the work of the angels, as is their motion in all that exists in the heavens and the earth and what lies between them. All these movements and actions are acts of worship to Allah, encompassing His love, His will, and His intent. All creatures worship their Creator, except the rebellious among the two creations. Their worship does not signify acceptance of His management, decree, and creation, for this applies universally to all creatures - even the disbelievers among the children of Adam - as none can escape His will and decree. This is evident in the words of Allah [in] which the Prophet ﷺ used to seek refuge, saying: "I seek refuge in the perfect words of Allah, which neither the righteous nor the sinful can surpass." This is part of His all-encompassing Lordship and dominion.

This is the aspect that many theorists and theologians have understood, to the point of interpreting the worship, prostration, and glorification mentioned in the Qur’an and the Sunnah in this manner. And in this specification, they are correct - both legally and rationally.

The reasoning they possess leads them to recognize that every thing and every movement, though it may have an origin, must have an end and a purpose. As they say: "It has two causes: efficient and final." What he mentioned pertains only to the efficient cause, while some created beings also consider it from the perspective of the final cause - which is an error.

It is not fitting for anything to be the complete final cause of creation, for there is nothing among the creatures that constitutes a perfect intention - not even living beings. Thus, all creatures exhibit these two defects: First, none of them can be a perfect cause, whether efficient or final. Second, whatever serves as a cause within them is itself caused, whether as an efficient or final cause.

Thus, Allah - Exalted be He - is the Lord and Sovereign of all things, and He is the Lord of the worlds. There is no Lord for anything except Him, and He is the God of all things. He is God in the heavens and the earth. Had there been gods besides Allah in either, they would have been corrupted. There is no god except Allah - Glorified and Exalted be He. He is far above what the wrongdoers say, in immense majesty.

The worship and glorification of creation stem from His divinity - Glorified and Exalted be He - and He is the intended end for them and of them.

As for the Law, Allah has distinguished between this and that, and He - Exalted be He - said: "Do you not see that to Allah prostrates whoever is in the heavens and whoever is on the earth, and the sun, the moon, the stars, the mountains, the trees, the moving creatures, and many of the people? But upon many the punishment has been justified. And he whom Allah humiliates - none can honor him. Indeed, Allah does what He wills." [Surah Al-Hajj: 18].

This prostration, which distinguishes between the many humans who perform it willingly and many others [who do not perform it voluntarily] - and these are the ones upon whom punishment has been decreed - is not something shared by all human beings, like Allah's creation of them, His Lordship over them, and His management of their affairs.

Similarly, He distinguished between the two groups in His saying:"Do they seek a religion other than Allah's, when everything in the heavens and earth has submitted to Him, willingly or unwillingly, and to Him they will all be returned?" [Surah Al Imran: 83].

And in His saying: "To Allah prostrate all those in the heavens and the earth, willingly or unwillingly, as do their shadows in the mornings and evenings." [Surah Ar-Ra'd: 15].

Allah - Glorified be He - mentions in another verse the prostration of creatures, excepting many humans by referring only to their will. As in the previous verses He mentioned the religions of men, saying - Exalted be He: "Indeed, the believers, Jews, Sabians, Christians, Magians, and polytheists - Allah will judge between them on the Day of Resurrection. Surely Allah is Witness over all things." [Surah Al-Hajj: 17]. This verse includes the condition of creatures - excepting the jinn, who though not explicitly mentioned, are included among believers, Jews, Christians and Sabians, according to their own statement: "Among us are the righteous and others not so; we are sects differing." [Surah Al-Jinn: 11]. It's noteworthy that renowned Arabic linguists have pointed out that the term "people" (an-nās) in Quranic language includes them.

And He said - Glorified be He: "Have they not observed things Allah has created, how their shadows incline to the right and left, prostrating to Allah in complete submission? To Allah prostrates whatever is in the heavens and earth of creatures, and the angels, and they are not arrogant. They fear their Lord above them and do what they are commanded." [Surah An-Nahl: 48-50].

In the two Sahihs (Bukhari and Muslim) is found the Hadith of Abu Dharr about the sun's prostration beneath the Throne when it sets.

And He said - Exalted be He: "Do you not see that Allah is glorified by all in the heavens and earth, and by the birds with wings outstretched? Each knows its prayer and glorification. And Allah is fully aware of what they do." [Surah An-Nur: 41]. And He said - Exalted be He:"Whatever is in the heavens and earth glorifies Allah; and He is the Almighty, the All-Wise." [Surah Al-Hadid: 1]. "Whatever is in the heavens and earth glorifies Allah; and He is the Almighty, the All-Wise." [Surah Al-Hashr: 1]. "Whatever is in the heavens and earth glorifies Allah; and He is the Almighty, the All-Wise." [Surah As-Saff: 1]. "Whatever is in the heavens and earth glorifies Allah - the Sovereign, the Most Holy, the Almighty, the All-Wise." [Surah Al-Jumu'ah: 1]. "Whatever is in the heavens and earth glorifies Allah. His is the dominion and His is the praise, and He is over all things Omnipotent." [Surah At-Taghabun: 1]. "There is nothing that does not glorify Him with praise, but you do not understand their glorification." [Surah Al-Isra: 44].

And He said - Exalted be He: "To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and earth. And those near Him are not too proud to worship Him, nor do they tire. They glorify Him night and day without tiring." [Surah Al-Anbiya: 19-20].

And He said - Exalted be He: "Indeed, those who are near your Lord do not disdain to worship Him; they glorify Him and prostrate to Him." [Surah Al-A'raf: 206].

And He said - Exalted be He: "And among His signs are the night and day, the sun and moon. Do not prostrate to the sun or moon, but prostrate to Allah who created them, if it is Him you worship. But if they are too arrogant - those near your Lord glorify Him night and day, and never grow weary." [Surah Fussilat: 37-38].

And He said - Exalted be He: "The Messiah would never disdain to be a servant of Allah, nor would the angels near to Him. Whoever disdains His worship and grows arrogant - He will gather them all to Himself." [Surah An-Nisa: 172]. "As for those who believe in Allah and hold fast to Him, He will admit them to mercy from Him and bounty, and guide them to Himself on a straight path." [Surah An-Nisa: 175].

And He said - Exalted be He: "They say: 'The Most Merciful has taken a son.' You have uttered a monstrous thing! The heavens are about to rupture therefrom, the earth to split apart, and the mountains to crumble to pieces - that they attribute to the Most Merciful a son. It is not appropriate for the Most Merciful to take a son. There is none in the heavens and earth but that he comes to the Most Merciful as a servant. He has enumerated them and counted them one by one. And each of them will come to Him on the Day of Resurrection alone." [Surah Maryam: 88-95].

And He said - Exalted be He: "They say: 'The Most Merciful has taken a son.' Exalted is He! Rather, they are [but] honored servants. They do not precede Him in speech, and they act by His command. He knows what is before them and what will be after them, and they cannot intercede except for whom He approves. And they, for fear of Him, are apprehensive. And whoever of them should say: 'Indeed, I am a god besides Him'- that one We would recompense with Hell. Thus do We recompense the wrongdoers." [Surah Al-Anbiya: 26-29].

And He said - Exalted be He: "It is He who shows you lightning, inspiring fear and hope, and produces the heavy clouds. The thunder glorifies His praise, as do the angels, in awe of Him. He sends thunderbolts and strikes with them whom He wills, while they dispute about Allah. And He is severe in punishment!" [Surah Ar-Ra'd: 12-13].

And the angels said: "Will You place upon it [the earth] one who will spread corruption there and shed blood, while we glorify Your praise and sanctify You?" He [Allah] said: "Indeed, I know what you do not know." [Surah Al-Baqarah: 30].

And He said - Exalted be He: "Indeed, We subjected the mountains to glorify with him [David] in the evening and the morning, and [also] the birds assembled, all devout to Him." [Surah Ṣād: 18-19].

As for many men - like the naturalist philosophers and others - they only know the superficial aspects of worldly life and cling to the apparent meaning of words. They observe the external manifestations of the movements and actions of created beings, perceiving some of their immediate causes as well as certain wisdoms and proximate purposes, believing these to be the only reasons behind them - both as agents and as purposes. They mention this in their study of human anatomy, its organs, its internal and external movements, the hidden and the evident. They also speak of the forces acting in bodies - which they consider causes of their movement - and everything they describe.

Among this is what they mention about human nature: the attractive, digestive-nutritive, expulsive, generative forces and others; how the lungs cool the heart due to its excessive heat, and how the brain is cooler than the heart, among other causal relationships and hidden wisdoms. All this evidences the causes and purposes that Allah has placed in His creatures, serving as a lesson for those endowed with insight.

However, errs he who attributes these magnificent effects to mere material forces in a body, without recognizing the ultimate wisdom behind these creations nor understanding that their true function is the worship of their Lord - Glorified and Exalted be He.

Opposing them are certain groups of speculative theologians who deny the inherent natures of beings, the forces governing them, and their secondary causes. Thus they reject the evidences Allah has shown His servants - both in the horizons of the universe and within themselves - and which He Himself attested to in His Book, where He affirms the interdependence of His designs. As He says in His Word: "We sent down with it [the wind] the water, and with it We brought forth all kinds of fruits." [Surah Al-A'raf: 57]. And also: "And with it He gives life to the earth after its death." [Surah Al-Jathiyah: 5].

Both groups may be unaware of the wisdom in these creations - which are acts of worship to their Lord - this being precisely the purpose for which Allah sent the Messengers and revealed the Books. However, they only argue about the Maker of these things and what relates to the oneness of divine lordship, as we have previously explained. Yet, they are not guided to witnessing the purpose of these creations nor to what concerns the oneness of divinity. This has been, in their methods, misguidance and ignorance, which contradicts both authentic tradition and clear reason.

Nevertheless, the people of knowledge - who attribute all events to Allah's creation, His Will, and His Lordship - are correct both rationally and religiously. Whoever includes in this all things, even the actions of animals, is correct in agreeing with the Sunnah and reason. These are the theologians of Ahl al-Ithbāt (the people of affirmation [of divine attributes]), who affirm that Allah is the Creator, their Sustainer, and their Owner.

Unlike the Qadariyyah - who excluded from this the actions of animals - and unlike the people of nature and philosophy - who exclude from this most beings from generating causes - they are mistaken, as has been explained elsewhere.

And you will find this in them when they speak about the movements between heaven and earth - like the movement of winds, clouds, and rain, and how rain sometimes emerges from the air between heaven and earth, and other times from vapor rising from the earth, as several predecessors also mentioned. This is something that is indeed perceived with the eyes, just as a child is created in his mother's womb from sperm, or as a tree emerges from a seed and a bone. Thus, they witnessed some visible causes but ignored most of them and turned away from the Creator who originates all this, as well as from what it entails in terms of His worship, glorification, and prostration before Him, which is the ultimate purpose of His wisdom.

For indeed, Allah's creation - Glorified be He - of clouds containing rain, coming from the sea and earthly vapor, is like His creation of animals, plants, and minerals from these things.

It is known that sperm is a tiny body, similar in living beings to covered organs and diverse in their measurements, qualities, functions, and purposes. Would any sensible person say: "This is due to an accident or quality? Or that it resides in a small body? Or that it is attributed to that body?" This corrupts even the most basic sense of reason.

And it is well known that there is no comparison between the creation of this from that, and what the children of Adam do: those forms they produce with ink (like writing), the weaving of garments from thread, the preparation of food, or constructions with their materials. Although they neither create nor destroy the materials, their purpose is a specific movement that facilitates the formation of that form. If someone attributed the authorship of writing to the ink, everyone would consider him foolish and ignorant. Then, is not he who attributes the creation of animals and plants to their matter, or to what exists in their nature, the most foolish, ignorant, unjust and disbelieving?

Similarly, creating clouds and rain from air and vapor is like attributing earthquakes to trapped vapor, or thunder to the mere collision of clouds. Thus they fell into evident misguidance: they took these causes as complete agents and failed to recognize the ultimate purpose, ignoring both aspects. There were those who disputed about the causes and forces in natures, but that too was ignorance.

When love and will are the foundation of every action and movement - the truest being love for Allah and the will to worship Him alone without partners, and the falsest being when men take idols besides Allah, loving them as one loves Allah, establishing equals and partners to Him - then know that love and will are the foundation of every religion, whether sound or corrupt. For religion encompasses internal and external actions, and love and will are the foundation of all this. Religion is obedience, worship and character: a constant obedience that becomes habit and character, unlike occasional obedience. This is why religion is interpreted as custom and character, and character as religion. As His saying - Exaltado be He: "And indeed, you are of a great moral character." [Surah Al-Qalam: 4]. Ibn Abbas commented: "Upon a great religion", and Sufyan bin Uyaynah mentioned it. Imam Ahmad recorded it from Sufyan and thus interpreted it.

It is also explained as custom, as the poet said: "Is this their eternal religion and mine?" Hence comes "ad-didan". It is said "this is his didan", meaning his ingrained custom. For "didan" derives from da'ana, like salsal from sallala or kabkabat from kabba: a doubling of the term. The duplicated can be emphatic or a soft letter, and in their speech they often alternate between emphatic and similar letters. As it is said: taqadda and taqaffada, or tassarrar and tassara.

And daana: it may come from the dominant who subdues, or from the obedient who submits. It is said: "I subdued him (dintuhu) so he daana", meaning: "I dominated him and then he humbled himself." As [the poet] said: "He subdued Ar-Rabab when they refused submission, achieving it through terror and power."

And it is said about the dominant: "As you treat, so shall you be treated." As for the religion of the obedient, it is used as a transitive verb and as a necessary permanent action. It is said: "I worshipped Allah and submitted to Allah." And it is said: "So-and-so does not worship Allah with religion, nor submit to Allah", because in it is the meaning of obedience and worship, and the meaning of humility. So when it is said: "He worshipped Allah", it is like saying: "He obeyed Allah and loved Him." And when it is said: "He humbled himself before Allah", it is like saying: "He humbled himself before Allah and submitted to Allah."

And it has been mentioned that the term worship encompasses the pinnacle of love with the pinnacle of humility. Thus, the religion practiced by people, both internally and externally, necessarily contains love and submission - unlike their obedience to kings and the like, which may be merely outward submission.

Allah - Glorified and Exalted be He - named the Day of Judgment as "the Day of Recompense", according to His saying: "Master of the Day of Recompense" [Al-Fātihah: 4]. This aligns with what was transmitted by Ibn 'Abbās and other early pious scholars: "It will be the day when Allah judges the servants according to their deeds: if they are good, they will receive good; if they are evil, they will receive evil." This includes both their reward and their reckoning.

Therefore, whoever says: "It is the Day of Accounting and the Day of Reward," will be mentioning some attributes of the Recompense. And His saying - Exalted be He: "No! But you deny the Recompense, while indeed there are over you observers - noble scribes - who know what you do. Indeed, the righteous will be in pleasure, while the wicked will be in the Fire, which they will enter on the Day of Recompense, and they will not be absent from it. And what can make you know what is the Day of Recompense? Then, what can make you know what is the Day of Recompense? It is the Day when no soul will possess anything for another, and the command that Day will be wholly Allah's." [Al-Infiṭār: 9-19].

And He said - Exalted be He: "Then why, if you are not to be recompensed, do you not restore it, if you should be truthful?" [Surah Al-Wāqiʿah: 86-87]. That is: compelled by force, controlled and recompensed.

Since every act proceeds from love and will, and abstention arises from aversion and rejection - and every motivated active being possesses love and hatred, for no living being is exempt from this, and their actions follow their love and hatred; moreover, this may occur in matters that are habitual and characteristic for them, or in temporary but necessary matters; it is known that every community of the children of Adam necessarily requires a religion that unifies them. This is because no one is self-sufficient regarding others, and none can suffice themselves to obtain their benefits or avoid their harms. Therefore, their association is necessary, and when they unite, they inevitably share in seeking what benefits all, such as praying for rain - which reflects their love for it - and rejecting what harms them, such as their enemy - which reflects their hatred toward him. Thus, it becomes inevitable that they share love for something common and hatred toward something common, and this constitutes their shared collective religion.

As for what is particular to each individual - loving what they eat, drink, and desire, or seeking what covers them as clothing - this is shared in its general category, not in its concrete form. Rather, each loves something equivalent to what others love, not identical. For each benefits from their food, drink, union, and clothing not exactly with what benefits another, but with its equivalent.

The same applies in reality to celestial phenomena: the same rain that falls on one’s land is not identical to that which falls on another’s, but its equivalent; nor is the same cold air that touches one’s body identical to that which touches another’s, but its equivalent.

Yet celestial phenomena occur as shared realities for all, and this generates a common love for them. Unlike matters related to their particular actions - such as food and clothing - which can be both individual and collective.

When this is the case, the things they need must establish them as obligatory for themselves, and the things that harm them must prohibit them for themselves. This constitutes their religion, and it cannot be achieved except through mutual agreement, which takes the form of mutual covenant and contract.

For this reason, it appears in the hadith: "There is no faith for one who has no honesty, and no religion for one who does not fulfill their covenants."

This belongs to the religion shared by all the children of Adam: commitment to obligations and prohibitions, which represents fidelity and the fulfillment of covenants. This agreement may be null and corrupt if it contains harm that outweighs its benefit, or it may be a true religion when the benefit is particular or predominant.

As He said - Exalted be He: "Say: 'O disbelievers! I do not worship what you worship. Nor do you worship what I worship. Nor will I worship what you worship. Nor will you worship what I worship. For you is your religion, and for me is mine.'" [Surah Al-Kāfirūn: 1-6].

Allah - Exalted be He - says:"Fight those who do not believe in Allah nor in the Last Day, nor forbid what Allah and His Messenger have forbidden, nor adhere to the religion of truth from among those who were given the Scripture." [Surah At-Tawbah: 29].

The religion of truth consists of obeying Allah and worshipping Him exclusively, as we have previously explained that religion is habitual obedience that becomes character. Therefore, the One obeyed is necessarily loved and desired (marḍān), for its foundation lies in love and will.

None deserves to be worshipped and obeyed absolutely except Allah, without partners. As for His Messenger and legitimate rulers, they are obeyed because they command in accordance with obedience to Allah, as the Prophet ﷺ said in the authentic hadith: "Whoever obeys me has indeed obeyed Allah. Whoever obeys my ruler has obeyed me. Whoever disobeys me has disobeyed Allah. And whoever disobeys my ruler has disobeyed me."

Regarding worship, this belongs solely to Allah without intermediaries. The servant is not worshipped - only Allah is worshipped exclusively, as we have detailed elsewhere. We have also explained that every action whose purpose is not to fulfill Allah's will and His worship is a corrupt, invalid, vain, and untrue action - meaning it does not benefit its doer.

Allah - Glorified be He - says: "They were commanded only to worship Allah, being sincere to Him in religion, as monotheists, to establish prayer and give zakah. That is the correct religion." [Surah Al-Bayyinah: 5].

And He said - Exalted be He: "And fight them until there is no fitnah and the religion is solely for Allah." [Surah Al-Baqarah: 193].

And He said - Exalted be He: "That is the correct religion - so do not wrong yourselves in it." [Surah At-Tawbah: 36].

And He said - Exalted be He: "Say: 'My Lord has guided me to a straight path, an upright religion, the way of Abraham the monotheist, who was not of the polytheists.'" [Surah Al-An'ām: 161].

And He said - Exalted be He: "Why does not a group from every faction go forth to gain understanding of the religion and warn their people when they return to them?" [Surah At-Tawbah: 122].

In the two Sahihs, the Prophet ﷺ said: "Whoever Allah wills good for, He grants him understanding of the religion."

And He said - Exalted be He: "They will not cease fighting you until they turn you away from your religion if they can. Whoever among you renounces his faith and dies as a disbeliever - their deeds will become void in this worldly life and the Hereafter. Those are the companions of the Fire, abiding therein eternally." [Surah Al-Baqarah: 217].

And He said - Exalted be He: "O you who believe! Whoever among you renounces his religion, Allah will soon bring a people whom He loves and who love Him." [Surah Al-Mā'idah: 54].

And it is the true religion which is worship of Allah alone, without partners, and obedience to Him and obedience to His Messenger. It is the universal Islam that accepts no religion other than Allah's.

As He said - Exalted be He: "Indeed, the religion in the sight of Allah is Islam." [Surah Āl 'Imrān: 19]. And He said - Exalted be He: "And whoever seeks a religion other than Islam, it will never be accepted from him, and in the Hereafter he will be among the losers." [Surah Āl 'Imrān: 85].

And He said - Exalted be He: "Do they desire other than the religion of Allah, when to Him have submitted [all] those in the heavens and earth, willingly or unwillingly, and to Him they will be returned?" [Surah Āl 'Imrān: 83].

And He said - Exalted be He: "He has ordained for you of religion what He enjoined upon Noah and what We have revealed to you, and what We enjoined upon Abraham, Moses and Jesus: to establish the religion and not be divided therein. Difficult for the polytheists is that to which you invite them." [Surah Ash-Shūrā: 13].

And He said - Exalted be He: "Indeed, those who have divided their religion and become sects - you have nothing to do with them." [Surah Al-An'ām: 159].

Thus, when it is necessary for every human being to belong to a community, and necessary in every community to have obedience and religion, and every religion and obedience that is not for Allah is false - then every religion other than Islam is false.

Furthermore, it is necessary for every living being to have a beloved, who is the ultimate object of its love and will, toward which the movements of its inner and outer self are directed - and that is its god. And this is not correct except for Allah alone, without partners. So everything other than Islam is false.

As for those who became divided in this matter - each taking some part of it while abandoning another, splitting according to their desires - Allah and His Messenger have indeed disassociated from them.

And in every religion, in obedience and love, two things are necessary: First: The beloved, obeyed religion - which is the desired objective. Second: The very form of the action by which one obeys and worships - which is the path, the way, the law, the method, and the means.

As al-Fudayl ibn 'Iyāḍ said regarding His statement - Exalted be He: "To test which of you is best in deed." [Surah Hūd: 7]. He said: "Most sincere and most correct." They asked: "O Abū 'Alī, what is 'most sincere and most correct'?". He replied: "Verily, if an action is sincere but not correct, it is not accepted. And if it is correct but not sincere, it is not accepted - until it is both sincere and correct. The sincere is that which is for Allah. The correct is that which follows the Sunnah."

This is how the religion that combines these two matters is: the Worshipped, and the worship. The Worshipped is One God, and the worship is obedience to Him and obedience to His Messenger ﷺ. Thus, this is the religion of Allah which He has approved, as He said - Exalted be He: "I have approved for you Islam as your religion." [Surah Al-Mā'idah: 3]. And it is the religion of the believers, the first and the last. It is the religion that Allah does not accept from anyone other than Him, for otherwise it is a corrupt and false religion - like one who worships what is not worthy of worship, or worships in a manner that is not appropriate for worship.

Yet, despite the first and last sharing this religion, they dispute regarding both aspects. For Allah - Glorified be He - has the Most Beautiful Names and the Most Sublime Attributes. Indeed, this Ummah possesses knowledge of His Names and Attributes that no other community knows. They share in worshipping Him alone, though they differ in what they have come to know and worship Him by among His Names and Attributes.

And indeed, Allah has raised some of them above others in degrees - this is their diversity regarding the Worshipped. Similarly is their situation regarding knowledge of the Last Day.

As for their diversity in worship and obedience, in words and actions, they certainly differ in that as well.

And indeed, He said - Exalted be He: "For each of you We have appointed a Law and a way." [Surah Al-Mā'idah: 48].

And He said - Exalted be He: "Then We put you on a clear way of the Command, so follow it and do not follow the desires of those who do not know." [Surah Al-Jāthiyah: 18].

And He said - Exalted be He: "For every community We have appointed rites which they observe, so do not let them dispute with you about the matter." [Surah Al-Hajj: 67].

And He said - Exalted be He: "And for every community We have appointed rites that they may mention the Name of Allah over what He has provided them of the grazing livestock." [Surah Al-Hajj: 34].

These two principles have come in our Sharī'ah with variations: they did not come regarding the Names of Allah and His Attributes with variations, but they came regarding the forms of acts of worship with variations. And to the first principle is connected the Last Day and what has come in its description of names, attributes, promises, and warnings.

These three foundations: faith in Allah, in the Last Day, and righteous deeds, are what guarantee happiness in every religion, as He said - Exalted be He: "Indeed, those who believed, the Jews, the Christians, and the Sabians - whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day and does righteousness - they will have their reward with their Lord, and no fear will there be concerning them, nor will they grieve." [Surah Al-Baqarah: 62].

And the Law is what the Messengers brought, and it is the fourth foundation. Indeed, these four foundations are interconnected, and the division in them - commanding some parts while prohibiting others - is from the division and discord that the Book and Sunnah have condemned among those who disagree.

And He said - Exalted be He: "Indeed, those who dispute concerning the Book are in extreme dissension." [Surah Al-Baqarah: 176].

And He said - Exalted be He: "Indeed, those who divided their religion and became sects - you have nothing to do with them." [Surah Al-An'ām: 159].

And He said - Exalted be He: "And do not be like those who became divided and disputed after the clear proofs had come to them." [Surah Āl 'Imrān: 105].

This angered the Prophet ﷺ when they disputed about recitation, and he said: "You have both done well."

And he said:
"Indeed, the Quran was revealed in seven modes of recitation, so recite from it what is easy for you." Similarly, he became angry when they disputed about divine decree, beginning to contrast verses in a way that leads to believing in some and not others.

This division and disagreement generates polytheism and contradicts the essence of tawhid (monotheism), which is sincerity in the complete religion, as He said - Exalted be He: "So direct your face toward the religion as a monotheist." [Surah Ar-Rūm: 30]. "And do not be among the polytheists - those who divided their religion and became sects. Every faction rejoices in what it has." [Surah Ar-Rūm: 31-32].

Thus, directing one's face toward the religion with pure monotheism and worshipping Allah alone without partners - which includes faith in all that Allah has commanded and informed - is to dedicate the complete religion to Allah.

And He said - Exalted be He: "And do not be among the polytheists, those who divided their religion and became sects." This means that when the religion is complete for Allah, one attains faith and obedience to all that He revealed and sent with His Messengers, thereby gathering all good and unifying all truth within it.

If not so, then necessarily each group will have something distinguishing it - whether an obeyed leader, or an idol whose worship and obedience Allah did not command, or invented doctrines and religions that Allah neither authorized nor legislated. Thus, both groups become polytheists from this perspective.

Moreover, in the hearts of the children of Adam there is love and will toward what they deify and worship, which sustains their hearts and rectifies themselves - like the love and desire for what they eat and crave, through which their lives are sustained. Their need for deification is greater than their need for food, for if food is lacking the body corrupts, but if deification is lacking the very self corrupts. They will not be rectified except by deifying Allah and worshipping Him alone without partners, according to the fitrah (natural disposition) upon which they were created, as the Prophet ﷺ said in the authentic hadith: "Every child is born upon the fitrah, then his parents make him a Jew, Christian or Zoroastrian."

In Sahih Muslim, from 'Iyad bin Himar, the Prophet ﷺ relates that his Lord said: "I created My servants as monotheists, but the devils led them astray, forbidding them what I had permitted and commanding them to associate with Me what I had not revealed nor authorized."

However, most polytheism among the children of Adam consists of creating another god alongside Allah, and many follow this in numerous forms.

Thus, every group of the children of Adam needs for itself a religion for these two reasons: The intrinsic need for a deity that is loved and desired for itself, and which benefits and harms; Their need to acquire what they love of provisions and repel what harms them. They are polytheists in their love for things at various levels: both in their concrete entities and their categories. Thus they are polytheists in loving: The deity they worship and venerate; those who transmit their exclusive precepts, and their commands and prohibitions. Additionally, they are polytheists in loving other secondary things, as well as in loving the collective obligations and prohibitions that seek common benefits and prevent collective harms.

This love constitutes religious love - whether for a true or false religion. Similarly, love for what facilitates and leads to that religion is also religious love.

However, the purpose of the true religion is not reduced to mere worldly interests like establishing earthly justice, as certain philosophers claim about the purpose of laws and prophecies - that it is merely to regulate their material sustenance through just norms. This worldly approach only corresponds to religions of those who do not believe in Allah and His Messenger, such as followers of philosopher-kings and the like: the people of Noah, Nimrod, Genghis Khan, and others.

Certainly, every group of the children of Adam needs to fulfill obligations and abandon prohibitions that sustain their livelihood and earthly life. And perhaps they established alongside that means to dominate other groups and oppress them, as do oppressive kings like Genghis Khan.

Thus, when the purpose of religion and established law is nothing but obtaining worldly benefits and repelling worldly harms, then they will have no share in the Hereafter. And if they additionally used this to dominate other children of Adam and oppress them, as Pharaoh, Genghis Khan and their like did, then these will be among those who receive the greatest punishment in the Hereafter.

As He said - Exalted be He: "We relate to you part of the story of Moses and Pharaoh in truth for a people who believe. Indeed, Pharaoh exalted himself in the land and made its people into factions, oppressing a sector among them: slaughtering their sons and keeping their women alive. Indeed, he was of the corrupters." [Surah Al-Qaṣaṣ: 3-4].

Allah - Glorified be He - has indeed narrated the story of Pharaoh in other places in the Qur'an. He and his people followed a religion among the religions of kings, as He said - Exalted be He - in the story of Joseph: "It was not proper for him to detain his brother according to the law of the king, except that Allah willed it." [Surah Yūsuf: 76]. This king was the Pharaoh of Joseph, preceding the Pharaoh of Moses. "Pharaoh" was a title for whoever ruled over Coptic Egypt, a generic name like Caesar, Khosrow, Negus and similar titles.

These philosophers, the Sabians, the innovating Peripatetics, and those who followed their method among those ascribed to the religions of Muslims, Jews and Christians, consider divine laws, norms and religions of this type as mere instruments for establishing legislation that seeks worldly benefits. They do not command in them tawhid (worshipping Allah alone), nor acting for the Final Abode, nor prohibit shirk. They only prescribe justice, honesty and fulfillment of covenants - aspects without which worldly benefit cannot be achieved - legislating forms of worship for both monotheists and polytheists alike.

I have indeed discussed the divisions of religions elsewhere, explaining the natural, rational and legislated aspects. This mention comes here only for argumentative continuity.

They establish their laws through tricks, magic and talismans - as evidenced in their writings - claiming about certain talismans: "This serves to establish laws." This is how the Qarmatians and Batiniyyah acted, as did Pharaoh's magicians (whose traces remain), and as polytheistic Turks and Hindus practice today in their lands.

The earlier philosophers equated this with the signs brought by the Messengers, considering Moses, the magicians and their opponents as being of the same type.

About these, as He said - Exalted be He: "They certainly knew that whoever purchased it would have no share in the Hereafter." [Surah Al-Baqarah: 102]. They recognized their benefit would not be in the Hereafter, but hoped for worldly gain, even if they achieved some desires like power or pleasure.

Thus it is as Allah said - Exalted be He: "And they learn what harms them and does not benefit them." [Surah Al-Baqarah: 102]. For the harm it contains outweighs its benefit. Allah said - Exalted be He: "And if they had believed and been righteous, the reward from Allah would have been better, if they but knew." [Surah Al-Baqarah: 103]. Therefore, what He prohibited from this was only because its harm is greater than its benefit, for Allah does not prohibit what benefits people.

Thus, when incantations were presented to the Prophet ﷺ, he said: "Whoever can benefit his brother, let him do so." And he said: "There is no problem with incantations, as long as they contain no shirk."

Al-Bukhari recorded in his Sahih regarding removing magic, that Qatada said: "I asked Sa'id ibn al-Musayyab: 'If a man is bewitched or enchanted by his wife, can he be freed from it?' He replied: 'There is no problem, for they seek remedy. What benefits people, He did not prohibit.'"