and are rewarded for their good intentions, even though the prescribed course differs from what they have done. Examples include someone who refuses to eat food sold in the markets, eating only what grows in the wilderness, or who refuses to eat from the wealth of Muslims, eating only from that of cultivators, and similar practices whose adherents mean well but have no interpretive justification for their actions. Yet the correct, prescribed course is otherwise.

Allah, glorified be He, created His creatures to worship Him and commanded them to do so. It is established in Sahīh Muslim, on the authority of Abū Hurayrah, that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:

“Allah has commanded the believers to do what He commanded the messengers to do. He said: ‘O messengers, eat of the good things and do righteous deeds.’ And He said: ‘O you who believe, eat of the good things We have provided for you.’ Then he mentioned a man who travels a long way, dishevelled and dusty, stretching his hand towards heaven: ‘My Lord! My Lord!’ Yet his food is unlawful, his clothing is unlawful, and he has been nourished with what is unlawful. How, then, can such a man’s supplication be answered?”

Thus the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, explained that Allah commanded the believers, just as He commanded the messengers, to eat good things, just as He commanded them to do righteous deeds. Righteous deeds are not possible without food, drink, clothing, and whatever else a servant needs: a dwelling, a mount, weapons with which to fight, warhorses on which to fight, books from which to learn, and similar things without which Allah’s commands cannot be fulfilled. Whatever is indispensable to fulfilling an obligation is itself obligatory.

Since fulfilling these obligations is a duty upon all servants, and they cannot be fulfilled without such wealth, how can it be said that it is scarce? Rather, it is abundant and prevalent; indeed, it is