Then, when the soul believes something to be absent, it denies its existence, condemns it, and disparages it. This applies when what it perceives as existing or absent is praiseworthy; if it is blameworthy, the reverse applies.

Likewise, when it perceives something congenial to it, it loves and desires it; when it perceives something uncongenial, it hates and dislikes it. If it perceives neither, or perceives something that is neither congenial nor uncongenial, there is neither love nor hatred. Yet you may hate something that is not uncongenial merely because it is not congenial. There is a clear difference between perceiving what is uncongenial and not perceiving what is congenial.

This, however, is praiseworthy, for whatever is not congenial to a person offers him neither benefit nor advantage. Inclining toward it is therefore a matter of futility and harm. One should turn away from it because it offers no benefit, and inclining toward what offers no benefit is harmful.

Love for a person or a deed is then followed by prayers of blessing and praise, just as hatred is followed by curses and disparagement. Whatever is neither loved nor hated is followed by neither praise nor supplication, neither disparagement nor curses.

Since there truly exists One who is loved and worshipped, the foundation of happiness is faith in this reality. The foundation of faith is the heart’s affirmation, which is assent, and the heart’s action, which is love accompanied by submission. For nothing is more perfectly congenial to the souls of Allah’s servants than their God, Allah, besides whom none is worthy of worship.

And since faith encompasses both these meanings, and the definition given by those who describe it as mere