from him. Indeed, her domination is greater still, for captivity of the heart is more severe than captivity of the body, and enslavement of the heart is more severe than enslavement of the body. Someone whose body has been enslaved and reduced to bondage may be untroubled so long as his heart remains free of it and at peace. He may even devise a means of escape. But when the heart—which is the ruler—is itself in bondage, enslaved and enthralled by something other than Allah, this is utter humiliation and captivity, and servitude to whatever has enslaved the heart.

It is the heart’s servitude and captivity that entail reward and punishment. If a Muslim is captured by an unbeliever or wrongfully enslaved by an evildoer, that does not harm him so long as he fulfils whatever obligations he can. Someone lawfully enslaved receives two rewards if he fulfils his duties towards Allah and towards his masters. Even if he is compelled to utter words of unbelief and does so while his heart remains secure in faith, that does not harm him. But someone whose heart has become enslaved, making him a slave to something other than Allah, is harmed by this even if outwardly he is the king of all people.

True freedom is freedom of the heart, and true servitude is servitude of the heart, just as true wealth is wealth of the soul. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:

“Wealth does not consist in having many possessions; rather, true wealth is richness of the soul.”

All this, indeed, concerns someone whose heart has been enslaved by the beauty of a person lawful for him. But someone whose heart has been enslaved by the beauty of a person forbidden to him—a woman or a boy—experiences torment for which there is no recompense. Such people are among those who suffer the greatest torment and receive the least reward. For when someone enamoured of another’s beauty remains attached to that person in his heart and enslaved to them, there accumulate for him