lead you astray.” For whatever Allah wills comes to pass, even if people do not will it; and whatever He does not will does not come to pass, even if people will it. The purpose of the verse is to warn them against following those who follow their desires.

The meaning is: “I desire for you the good that benefits you, whereas these people desire for you the evil that harms you—like Satan, who desires to lead you astray. His followers are those who follow their desires. So do not take him and his offspring as allies instead of Me. Rather, follow the paths of guidance and rectitude, and beware of the paths of error and corruption.”

As the Most High says:

“Whoever follows My guidance will neither go astray nor fall into misery,”

and the verses that follow.

His words, “follow their desires,” occur in both passages. Following one's appetites is akin to following one's desires, as the Most High says:

“They only follow their own desires. And who is further astray than one who follows his desires without guidance from Allah?”

He also says:

“If the truth followed their desires, the heavens and the earth and whoever is in them would fall into ruin.”

The Most High says:

“Do not follow the desires of people who went astray before.”

And the Most High says:

“Is someone who stands upon clear proof from his Lord like those whose evil deeds have been made appealing to them and who follow their own desires?”

And the Most High says:

“Do not follow the desires of those who do not know.”

This occurs frequently in the Quran. The word hawā (desire) is the verbal noun of hawā, yahwī (to desire). The object of desire itself—what one desires—is also called hawā. Following it is thus like following a path, as the Most High says:

“Do not follow