a capacity to love Him—once they become aware of Him—necessarily gives rise to love for Him when no opposing factor is present.

This is also found in love for food, drink, sexual relations, knowledge, and other things.

Since this is so, and it has been established that the soul possesses a capacity to love Allah, submit to Him, and devote itself exclusively to Him, as well as a capacity to be aware of Him, it necessarily follows that love and actual submission arise within it: the cause that necessarily produces them is present, provided it is free from opposition. It is also clear that knowledge and love do not depend on an external person speaking to the soul, although such a person may remind and stir it. This is like describing food to someone hungry, or women to a sexually aroused man: such descriptions remind and stimulate, but neither the desire for food nor eating depends on them.

Likewise, the awareness of the Creator, submission to Him, and love for Him inherent in the natural disposition do not depend on external causes. Such causes may nevertheless remind and stimulate, or remove an opposing obstacle. The point, however, is that the arising of these things within the natural disposition does not depend on such external causes at all.

Furthermore, acknowledging the Maker without worshipping Him through love, submission, and exclusive devotion to Him is of no benefit. Rather, acknowledgment accompanied by only some of these makes one more deserving of punishment. The natural disposition must therefore contain something that gives rise to knowledge and something that gives rise to love. Love depends on knowledge, for a person cannot love something of which he is unaware. Love for things one loves does not originate from an external cause; rather, it is innate and natural. And if