they entered a lizard’s hole, you would enter it too.” They asked, “O Messenger of Allah, the Jews and the Christians?” He replied, “Who else?” This hadith is recorded in both Sahīh collections.

Since the foundation of religious practice is sincere devotion to Allah—seeking Him alone—what is sought for its own sake is loved for its own sake, and this is perfect love. Yet what is required is most often described as worship, as in His words:

“I did not create jinn and mankind except to worship Me.”

And His words:

“O mankind, worship your Lord, who created you and those before you.”

There are many similar passages. Worship encompasses love in its utmost perfection and humility in its utmost perfection. Someone who is loved but neither venerated nor humbled before is not an object of worship; nor is someone who is venerated but not loved. Hence the Most High says:

“Among people are those who take others as equals to Allah, loving them as they love Allah. But those who believe are stronger in their love for Allah.”

He, glorified is He, thus explains that although those who associate partners with their Lord and take others as equals to Allah love them as they love Allah, the believers love Allah more intensely than those people love Allah and their idols. This is because the believers know Allah better, and love follows knowledge. Moreover, the believers devote all their love to Allah alone, whereas those people direct some of their love to others, sharing their love between Him and the rivals they set up beside Him. Clearly, the former is more perfect.

The Most High says:

“Allah presents an example: a man belonging to quarrelling partners and a man belonging exclusively to one man. Are they equal in comparison? Praise be to Allah! But most of them do not know.”

The term ‘love’ has a broad and general scope: a believer loves Allah and loves His messengers, His prophets, and His believing servants, even though this is part of loving Allah, and even though the love due to Allah