and I fast and break my fast, marry women, and eat meat. Whoever turns away from my Sunnah is not of me.’”

Allah Most High has said:

“O you who believe, do not forbid the good things Allah has made lawful for you.”

This was revealed concerning ‘Uthmān ibn Maz‘ūn and a group with him who had resolved upon celibacy and a form of monasticism. In the two Sahīh collections, Sa‘d reported:

“The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, refused to allow ‘Uthmān ibn Maz‘ūn to embrace celibacy. Had he permitted him, we would have castrated ourselves.”

The beneficial, prescribed form of “renunciation” that Allah and His Messenger love is to renounce whatever brings no benefit in the Hereafter. As for what benefits one in the Hereafter, and what helps one attain that benefit, renouncing it amounts to renouncing a form of worship and obedience to Allah. Renunciation is sought only because it means renouncing what is harmful or what brings no benefit. Renouncing what is beneficial, however, is ignorance and misguidance, as the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:

“Strive for what benefits you, seek Allah’s help, and do not falter.”

What benefits a servant is worshipping and obeying Allah and obeying His Messenger. Whatever diverts him from that is harmful, not beneficial. Moreover, what benefits him most is for all his deeds to be acts of worship and obedience to Allah. If he fulfils his obligatory duties and does something permissible that does not help him obey Allah, then he has done both what benefits him and what neither benefits nor harms him.

Likewise, the prescribed form of “scrupulousness” is to refrain from what may have adverse consequences, namely