many of the Hindu idolaters and others, and many among the People of the Book—the Jews and the Christians—and a large number of Muslim innovators.

The second view:
Some say that the most excellent acts are those that most effectively lead to the acquisition of the rationally obligatory duties.

The third:
Others contend that the preference of certain acts over others has no underlying cause at all; it rests purely on divine will.

The fourth view—and it is the correct one—is that the best act is the one that shows greater obedience to Allah and brings greater benefit to the servant. Thus, whatever deed yields its practitioner more benefit and makes him more obedient to Allah than any alternative is superior, as is related in the hadith:

“ The best deed is the most beneficial.”

On every one of these opinions, however, the acts of worship legislated for the Muslims are more perfect than the acts of worship of anyone else.

As for the first opinion, its advocates say: The more burdensome a deed is upon the soul, the more excellent it is. Consequently, they may give precedence to hunger, night-vigils, silence, seclusion, and the like—practices adopted by certain Hindu idolaters and others, by some Christians, and by innovators within this community. Yet it can be said to them: armed jihad is more arduous than