than to faith.”

Allah thus described these people as closer to disbelief than to faith. It is therefore clear that they combine faith and disbelief, with disbelief predominating, while others combine the two with faith predominating.

Since the “friends of Allah” are the believers who are mindful of Him, a servant’s friendship with Allah Most High is proportionate to his faith and piety. Whoever is more perfect in faith and piety is more perfect in friendship with Allah.

People therefore differ in their degrees of friendship with Allah, Mighty and Majestic, according to their differing degrees of faith and piety. Likewise, they differ in their degrees of enmity towards Allah according to their differing degrees of disbelief and hypocrisy. Allah Most High says:

“Whenever a surah is revealed, some of them ask, ‘Which of you has this increased in faith?’ As for those who believe, it increases them in faith, and they rejoice.”

“But as for those in whose hearts is a disease, it adds impurity to their impurity, and they die as disbelievers.”

He Most High also says:

“Postponing the sacred months is only an increase in disbelief.”

He Most High also says:

“As for those who are guided, He increases them in guidance and grants them piety.”

Concerning the hypocrites, He Most High says:

“In their hearts is a disease, so Allah has increased their disease.”

He, Glorified and Most High, has thus made clear that a single person may have a share of friendship with Allah in proportion to his faith, and may also have a share of enmity towards Allah in proportion to his disbelief and hypocrisy. He Most High says:

“And so that those who believe may increase in faith.”

He Most High also says:

“So that they may increase in faith beyond the faith they already have.”