But if he believes that this love is for Allah’s sake, his faith in Allah strengthens and supports it, and he has no faith that restrains him from it. Rather, the impulses of religious law and natural disposition combine in this love, along with faith and guidance. This is graver than a Christian’s drinking wine. Such a person will neither repent of this sin nor escape its evil consequences unless Allah guides him, making it clear to him that this love is not for Allah’s sake and that Allah has not commanded it, but rather dislikes and forbids it. Otherwise, even if one of them abandoned this love, that would not constitute repentance, for he believes that love of this kind is part of religion: he approves of it in others, encourages them to pursue it, and endorses their doing so. His abandoning it is like a believer’s leaving off certain voluntary acts of worship.

Loving someone merely for their beauty has no place whatsoever in Allah’s religion, for Allah neither rewards nor punishes anyone for beauty alone. Were that the case, Joseph, peace be upon him, would be superior to other prophets merely because of his beauty. If two people are equal in righteous deeds, but one has a more beautiful appearance and voice, they are equal before Allah, for the most honoured of His creatures in His sight are those most mindful of Him.

This also applies to someone with a beautiful voice and appearance: if he uses these in obedience to Allah rather than in disobedience to Him, he is superior in this respect. He is like someone with wealth and authority who uses them in obedience to Allah rather than in disobedience to Him. In that respect, he is superior to someone who has neither shared in that obedience nor undergone the same trial, through which he came to fear standing before his Lord and restrained himself from desire. If the other person has another righteous deed that brings him to an equal standing, they are equal; otherwise, the first is superior without qualification.