by Allah Most High in the form of sound understanding and upright intention. For knowledge and will are the foundation of the path of guidance and worship. Allah sent Muhammad—may Allah Most High bless him and grant him peace—with the most perfect love grounded in the most perfect knowledge. Through love for Allah and His Messenger—which is the foundation of deeds—love involving associating partners with Allah and a lack of clarity was excluded. As Allah Most High says:

“Among people are those who take others besides Allah as equals, loving them as they love Allah. But those who believe are stronger in their love for Allah.”

And He Most High says:

“Say, ‘If your fathers, your sons, your brothers, your spouses, your clan, wealth you have acquired, commerce whose decline you fear, and homes you cherish are dearer to you than Allah and His Messenger and striving in His cause, then wait until Allah brings about His command.’”

Thus, love grounded in faith gives rise to the savor of faith and spiritual joy grounded in religion. As reported in the two Sahīh collections, Anas said that the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—said:

“Whoever possesses three qualities will find the sweetness of faith in his heart: that Allah and His Messenger are dearer to him than anything else; that he loves a person only for Allah’s sake; and that he hates returning to unbelief after Allah has saved him from it as much as he hates being cast into the Fire.”

He—may Allah Most High bless him and grant him peace—thus made experiencing the sweetness of faith dependent upon a surpassing love for Allah and His Messenger, upon love for His sake—for Allah’s sake—and upon hatred of the opposite of faith.

In Sahīh Muslim, al-‘Abbās reported that the Messenger of Allah—may Allah Most High bless him and grant him peace—said:

“He has tasted the flavor of faith who is pleased with Allah as his Lord, Islam as his religion, and Muhammad as his Messenger.”