entails knowing Him. Thus, every newborn is born loving and knowing Him, which is what was to be established.

This proof can stand independently. This differs from things sought for their kind, such as food and drink. None of these is sought for its own sake; rather, the aim is to relieve the pain of hunger and thirst, or to seek the pleasure of eating and drinking. This is achieved through food and drink of the relevant kind and does not depend on any particular instance. By contrast, what is desired and loved for its own sake can only be something particular.

It may be said:

The Jews possess some knowledge of the truth, but do not act upon it; rather, they hate it, recoil from it, and arrogantly reject it. The Christians possess some love, aspiration, and desire, but without knowledge—rather, with misguidance and ignorance. Hence the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:

“The Jews are those who have incurred wrath, and the Christians are those who have gone astray.”

Al-Tirmidhī narrated it and graded it authentic.

Allah has commanded us to say in our prayer:

“Guide us to the straight path * the path of those You have blessed, not of those who have incurred Your wrath, nor of those who have gone astray.”

Amen.

For blessing in its fullest sense is attained only by knowing the truth and following it. Since this is so, and the human being needs both, his sound natural disposition must incline him either to recognition of the truth without knowledge of it, to acting upon it without recognizing it, to both, or to neither.