and following the example of those brought near to Allah is better. Its commands include both obligatory and recommended acts. There is no doubt that confining oneself to obligatory acts is good, while performing recommended acts as well is better. Whoever follows what is best, taking those brought near to Allah as examples and drawing near to Allah through voluntary acts after fulfilling obligatory duties, is more deserving of glad tidings.

Accordingly, His words:

“Follow the best of what has been sent down to you from your Lord,”

and:

“Command your people to follow the best of them,”

likewise command this. However, commands encompass both obligation and recommendation. Thus, whatever is obligatory in these passages is commanded as an obligation, and whatever is recommended is commanded as a recommendation. The same applies to His words:

“Indeed, Allah commands justice, good conduct, and giving to relatives,”

and His words:

“He commands them to do what is right.”

What is right includes both categories. Likewise, His words:

“Do good, so that you may succeed,”

encompass both categories, as do His words:

“Bow and prostrate,”

and other such passages.