and in this regard, people fall into three groups. One group takes a stand only to serve their own desires: they are pleased only with what they are given and angered only by what they are denied. When one of them is given what he craves, whether lawful or unlawful, his anger subsides and he becomes pleased. The very thing he once regarded as wrong—something he forbade and punished, whose perpetrator he condemned and resented—now meets with his approval. He begins to practise it himself, participates in it, assists others in it, and becomes hostile towards anyone who forbids it or censures him for it.

This is prevalent among the children of Adam. A person sees and hears more instances of it than anyone but Allah can count. Its cause is that man is deeply unjust and ignorant; hence he does not act justly, and may indeed be unjust in both situations. One sees people denouncing a ruler for wronging his subjects and transgressing against them, so he placates those