And the foundation of the heart’s soundness is the soundness of its will and intention. Unless these are sound, the heart cannot be sound. The heart is the morsel of flesh whose soundness makes the rest of the body sound, and whose corruption corrupts the rest of the body.

Likewise, regarding his statement, “He exercises no control over what takes place in the dominion”: if he means that such a person feels no jealous concern when Allah’s sacred limits are violated, does not become angry for Allah’s sake, does not enjoin what is right or forbid what is wrong, and does not strive in Allah’s cause, then such a person is a wicked renegade—indeed, a disbeliever. If he outwardly professes Islam, he is a hypocrite, whatever measure of asceticism and worship he may possess.

It is well known that a believer is never entirely devoid of these qualities. Whoever is wholly devoid of them is a complete hypocrite and an outright disbeliever. For a believer must love Allah and His Messenger more than anything else, and must disavow the association of partners with Allah and dissociate himself from Allah’s enemies. As Allah Most High says:

“You have an excellent example in Abraham and those with him, when they said to their people, ‘We disassociate ourselves from you and whatever you worship besides Allah. We reject you, and enmity and hatred have arisen between us and you forever, until you believe in Allah alone.’” (Surah al-Mumtahanah, 4)