and His Messenger, then never doubt, and strive with their wealth and their lives in Allah’s cause—it is they who are truthful.” Such is the believer’s love for Allah.

As for “love involving the association of partners with Allah,” it entails neither following the Messenger nor hating and striving against His enemy. This is found among Jews, Christians, and polytheists who claim to love Allah but neither follow the Messenger nor strive against His enemy. Likewise, “adherents of religious innovations” who claim such love turn away from following the Messenger to an extent corresponding to their innovations. This stems from their love for others besides Allah. You find them among those furthest from allegiance to the Messenger’s allies, enmity towards his enemies, and striving in Allah’s cause, because of the innovations they harbour, which are a branch of associating partners with Allah.

Those among the “Sufis” who have claimed such love, and whose position on divine decree resembles that of the determinist Jahmiyyah, ultimately perceive nothing as beloved to the Lord except what has occurred and been decreed. In their view, whatever occurs of disbelief, wickedness, and disobedience is beloved to Him. Within this perception, no distinction remains between Moses and Pharaoh, between Muhammad and Abū Jahl, between Allah’s allies and His enemies, or between worshipping Allah alone and worshipping idols. Rather, all of this is alike to someone lost in contemplation of the oneness of divine lordship. He distinguishes one event from another only according to what he desires and loves.

This is the one who has taken his own desire as his god: he worships and loves only what he desires. Although he has love for Allah, he has taken rivals besides Allah whom he loves as he loves Allah, and they are