For this reason, someone who feels no protective jealousy in the face of indecency—such as a man who tolerates sexual immorality within his family—is condemned. So too is someone who lacks the zeal to defend the oppressed against injustice. By contrast, someone whose protective jealousy wards off indecency and whose zeal repels injustice is praised. It is recognized that the latter is more perfect than the former.

This is why the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, attributed superior perfection to the Lord in this respect, saying in an authentic hadith:

“No one has greater protective jealousy than Allah. For this reason, He has forbidden indecencies, both open and hidden.”

He also said:

“Are you astonished at Sa'd’s protective jealousy? I have greater protective jealousy than he does, and Allah has greater protective jealousy than I do.”

As for the assertion, “These are reactions of the soul,” the response is:

Everything other than Allah is created and subject to influence; we ourselves, in our very being, are subject to influence. The fact that, in us, these are reactions caused by things outside ourselves, which we are unable to ward off, does not entail that Allah is subject to them and unable to ward them off. Indeed, everything that takes place in existence occurs by His will and power. Nothing occurs except what He wills, and nothing He wills fails to occur. To Him belongs dominion, and to Him belongs all praise.