an example from your own lives: Do you have, among those whom your right hands possess, any partners in what We have provided for you?”—to the end of the verse—until He says:

“Rather, those who do wrong follow their own desires without knowledge.”

And the Exalted says:

“He has already explained to you what He has forbidden you, except that to which you are compelled by necessity. Indeed, many lead others astray through their own desires, without knowledge”—to the end of the verse.

And the Exalted says:

“O People of the Book, do not go to extremes in your religion beyond the truth, and do not follow the desires of people who went astray before, led many astray, and strayed from the right way.”

And the Exalted says:

“Neither the Jews nor the Christians will ever be pleased with you until you follow their religion. Say, ‘Indeed, Allah’s guidance is the true guidance.’ If you were to follow their desires after the knowledge that has come to you, you would have neither protector nor helper against Allah.”

And the Exalted says in another verse:

“If you were to follow their desires after the knowledge that has come to you, you would then surely be among the wrongdoers.”

And He says:

“And judge between them by what Allah has revealed, and do not follow their desires.”

For this reason, scholars and worshippers who depart from what the Book and the Sunnah require are counted among the people who follow their own desires, as the early generations used to call them. This is because whoever does not follow knowledge follows his own desire, and knowledge of religion comes only through the guidance of Allah with which He sent His Messenger.

Thus, the Exalted says in one passage:

“Indeed, many lead others astray through their own desires, without knowledge.”

And He says in another:

“And who is more astray than one who follows his own desire without guidance from Allah?”

The servant must therefore examine his love and hatred themselves, and the degree of his love