while at other times it comes from casting doubt on the very Speaker of the Quran, or from alleging that it is a created thing—one of His creatures—that later inspired someone else to utter it. Still other times the tightness arises from questioning its sufficiency, claiming that it does not on its own meet the needs of the servants, who therefore, they say, must resort alongside it to purely rational proofs, analogical reasoning, personal opinions, or political policies.

Yet again, the constriction may stem from its meaning and whether (1) the intent was the plain realities understood from the words at the moment of address, or whether the intent was to wrench those words from their realities into forced and ambiguous reinterpretations. Another cause is doubting whether, even if those realities were meant, they truly obtain in fact, or whether the wording only suggested that they were meant for the sake of some expediency.

Every one of these people harbors a tightness in his chest toward the Quran. They know it about themselves and feel it within. You will never find an innovator in religion except that his heart is constricted by the verses that contradict his innovation, just as you will never find an unjust libertine except that his breast is constricted by the verses that stand between him and his desire. Reflect on this, and then be content for yourself with whatever course you choose.

Benefit

The perfection of the soul that is sought comprises two matters:

1. That it become a firmly rooted disposition and an abiding quality of the soul.
2. That it be, in and of itself, a quality of perfection.