to do what He commanded the messengers to do. He Most High said:

‘O messengers, eat of the good things and do righteous deeds.’

And He Most High said:

‘O you who believe, eat of the good things We have provided for you.’

Then he mentioned a man who journeys far, dishevelled and dusty, stretching his hands towards heaven: ‘My Lord! My Lord!’ Yet his food is unlawful, his drink is unlawful, his clothing is unlawful, and he has been nourished with what is unlawful. How, then, could his supplication be answered?”

Everything lawful is good, and everything good is lawful, for Allah has made good things lawful for us and forbidden us foul things. What makes something good, however, is that it is beneficial and pleasant.

Allah has forbidden us everything that harms us and permitted us everything that benefits us. This was not so with the People of the Book: because of their wrongdoing, He forbade them good things that had been lawful to them. He thus forbade them good things as a punishment. Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, did not forbid us any good things.

People’s circumstances differ with regard to food, clothing, hunger and satiety, and even one person’s circumstances vary. Yet the best deeds are those that show the greatest obedience to Allah and bring the greatest benefit to the person performing them. This may be the easier of two deeds, or it may be the harder. Not every difficult deed is superior, nor is every easy deed inferior. Rather, when Islamic law commands us to do something difficult, it commands it because of the benefit it brings, not merely to torment ourselves.

Such is the case with fighting in Allah’s cause, concerning which He Most High said:

“Fighting has been prescribed for you, though it is hateful to you. But perhaps you hate something that is good for you, and perhaps you love something that is bad for you.”