—through His names, attributes, and actions—and then two magnificent fundamentals follow: (1)

1. To make known the path that leads to Him, namely His Sharīʿah, which contains His commands and prohibitions.
2. To acquaint the travellers with what awaits them after they reach Him: an everlasting bliss and an unceasing delight that fills the eye with joy.

These two fundamentals are subordinate to, and built upon, the first. Hence, the one who knows Allah best is the one who most closely follows the road that leads to Him, and the one who is most knowledgeable about the state of the travellers when they come before Him.

For this reason Allah, glorified be He, called what He sent (2) down to His Messenger “a spirit,” because true life depends on it, and “a light,” because guidance depends on it. He, the Exalted, says: “He casts the Spirit of His command upon whom He wills of His servants” (Qur’an 40:15)—a statement that appears twice in His Book. (3) And He says: “Thus We have revealed to you a Spirit of Our command. You did not know what the Book was, nor what faith was, but We made it a light by which We guide whom We will of Our servants” (Qur’an 42:52).

Therefore, there is no life-giving spirit except in what he brought, and no light except in that by which people seek illumination; it is life and light, protection and cure, salvation and security.

Allah—glorified and exalted—is the One who sent His Messenger with guidance and the religion of truth, so there is no guidance except… (4)