aims primarily at what benefits him, serves his interests, and contributes to his perfection: either earning wages—money from which he benefits, with which he meets his needs, or through which he gains prestige—or showing mercy and kindness to the sheep to dispel the distress he feels when an animal is needy and suffering while he does nothing to relieve its pain; or to obtain relief and freedom from this distress; or to derive pleasure, joy, and happiness from treating them kindly. Or the sheep may belong to him, his friend, or his relative, so that in tending them he seeks the benefit, joy, happiness, and protection from harm that this brings him.

Likewise, through his kindness to the community, the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, seeks what he attains by drawing near to Allah Most High, worshipping Him, and doing good to His servants—aims and objectives nobler and greater than his actions toward them. What he seeks and intends is therefore greater and nobler than his actions, and his Lord, whom he worships and whose Face he seeks, is greater than the servants whom he benefits. As for claiming that the ultimate end he intends for its own sake is merely to benefit them, without any further objective nobler than this, only someone profoundly ignorant of aims and intentions would say such a thing.

A third group of speculative theologians has also responded, from among the Karrāmiyyah