guide to a straight path—the path of Allah.”

And He, the Exalted, says:

“How can you disbelieve while Allah’s verses are recited to you and His Messenger is among you?”

Thus one understands that Allah’s verses and the Messenger prevent disbelief. Such passages are numerous.

Likewise, the Quran is replete with statements that guidance and success belong to believers, not to others, as in His saying:

“A guidance for those mindful of Allah, who believe in the unseen”—to the end of the verse.

He then condemns those who disbelieve and those who act hypocritically. And He says:

“By time, indeed, mankind is in loss, except those who believe and do righteous deeds.”

And His saying:

“Then We reduced him to the lowest of the low, except those who believe and do righteous deeds.”

Thus He has pronounced loss and utter abasement upon the entire human species—all of humanity—except righteous believers.

Likewise, in such verses as Allah has willed, He identifies the people of Paradise as the people of faith, and the people of the Fire as the people of disbelief. This has become a universally known teaching of the Messenger’s religion, established through widespread transmission and known necessarily to everyone whom his message has reached.

He makes happiness depend upon faith together with righteous conduct, as in His saying:

“Whoever does righteous deeds, whether male or female, while being a believer, We will surely grant them a good life.”

And His saying:

“Whoever desires the Hereafter and strives for it as they should, while being a believer—it is they whose striving will be appreciated.”

He also renders righteous deeds void when faith is lost, as in His saying:

“As for those who disbelieve, their deeds are like a mirage on a level plain.”

And His saying:

“The example of those who disbelieve in their Lord is that their deeds are like ashes.”

And His saying: “The example of what they spend