and he praises whatever in them deserves praise and censures whatever deserves blame, provided that enjoining a right does not cause the loss of a greater right or the emergence of a worse wrong, and that forbidding a wrong does not bring about an even greater wrong or deprive people of a weightier right.

When a matter is unclear, the believer investigates until the truth becomes evident; he will not embark on an act of obedience without knowledge and intention. Should he neglect it, he is sinful, for omitting a duty is disobedience just as performing what has been prohibited is disobedience. This is a broad subject, and there is no power nor might except through Allah.

An illustration of this principle is the Prophet’s ﷺ forbearance toward ʿAbd Allah ibn Ubayy and others like him—the leading hypocrites and evildoers—because they had supporters. Had he punished him, eradicating his evil would have entailed the loss of a greater good: his people’s anger and tribal fervor would have been provoked, and others would have recoiled on hearing that Muhammad was killing his own Companions. For the same reason, when he addressed the people about the incident of the Slander (al-ifk) and apologized for what had happened, Saʿd ibn Muʿādh responded with a commendable statement, yet Saʿd ibn ʿUbādah—despite his sound faith—rose in passionate defense of his tribesman.

The foundation of all this is that a person’s love for what is right and hatred for what is wrong, his will for the one and aversion for the other, must conform to Allah’s love and hatred, His prescribed will and aversion. His pursuit of what is loved by Allah and his repelling of what is detested must be in proportion to his strength and capability, for Allah charges no soul beyond its capacity. He has said: “So fear Allah as much as you are able” ⦗64:16⦘.

As for the heart’s love and hatred, its determination and aversion, they ought to be complete and decisive; any deficiency therein should not