its opposite. Thus, when knowledge and remembrance grow strong, desire is repelled; and when desire is repelled by fear of Allah, the heart gains insight and knowledge. These are the two approaches: knowledge and action. When sound, each necessarily entails whatever it requires of the other. A servant’s well-being lies in attaining what he needs and what is required of him in both. His corruption therefore results from the absence of either: without true knowledge, he is astray and without guidance; without following that knowledge, he is wayward and incurs wrath.

For this reason, He says:

“The path of those You have blessed, not of those who have incurred wrath, nor of those who have gone astray.”

And He says:

“By the star when it descends, your companion has neither strayed nor erred, nor does he speak from desire. It is nothing but revelation revealed.”

Describing the opposite, He says:

“They follow nothing but conjecture and what their souls desire.”

And He says:

“Who is more astray than one who follows his own desire without guidance from Allah?”

And He says:

“Indeed, many lead others astray through their desires, without knowledge.”

And He says:

“Whoever follows My guidance will neither go astray nor suffer.”

Describing the opposite, He says:

“But whoever turns away from My remembrance will have a life of hardship, and We will raise him blind on the Day of Resurrection.”

And He says:

“Those are upon guidance from their Lord, and those are the successful.”

Describing the opposite, He says:

“Indeed, the criminals are in error and blazing fire.”

Ibn ‘Abbās said:

“Allah has guaranteed that whoever reads the Quran and follows what it contains will neither go astray in this world nor suffer in the Hereafter.”

Thus He, glorified be He, pairs guidance with happiness and misguidance with wretchedness,