Furthermore, if he does not ask Allah for Paradise or seek refuge in Him from the Fire, then either he asks Allah for lesser things that he needs—benefits to obtain and harms to avert—or he does not. If he asks for lesser things and seeks refuge from lesser harms, then he has all the more reason to ask for Paradise and seek refuge from the Fire.

If contentment means never asking for anything, even when one desperately needs it, and never seeking refuge from anything, even when it is harmful, then one of two things must be true: either his heart turns to Allah for Him to do these things for him, or he turns away from this. If his heart turns to Allah, then he is asking and seeking refuge through his inward state. There is no difference between asking through one’s state and asking in words. Asking is more complete and perfect when both are combined, so he should not turn away from that.

If, however, he turns away from all of this, it is well known that he can remain alive only through what sustains his life and wards off harm. As for the benefits and protection from harm by which he lives, either he loves them, seeks them, and desires them from someone, or he neither loves nor seeks nor desires them. If he loves them, seeks them, and desires them from someone other than Allah, he would be a blameworthy person who associates partners with Allah, far from being praiseworthy. If he says, “I neither love nor seek nor desire them, whether from Allah or from His creation,” the reply is:

This is impossible for a living being, for a living being cannot fail to love what ensures its survival. This is known through sensory experience. Someone in such a condition could not be described as content, for a content person possesses a particular kind of love and will, which contentment necessarily entails. How, then, can he be said to lack all of this?