knowing Allah, loving Him, and venerating Him. Its corruption lies in the opposite of this. Hearts can never be sound without these things.

The heart has two faculties: knowledge and intention, just as the body has sensation and voluntary movement. Just as the faculties of sensation and movement become impaired when they depart from their innate, natural condition, so too does the heart become corrupt when it departs from the innate condition into which every child is born: acknowledging its Lord and desiring Him, so that He is the ultimate object of its purpose and will. This is worship, for worship is complete love combined with complete humility.

Whenever the heart’s movement, orientation, and will are not directed toward Allah Most High, it is corrupt. Either it turns away from Allah and His remembrance, remaining heedless, whether with or without denial; or it has remembrance and awareness, but its purpose and will are directed toward something other than Him, because its remembrance is too weak to draw the heart toward desiring Allah, loving Him, and worshipping Him. Conversely, whenever the heart’s knowledge and remembrance grow strong, they necessarily give rise to its intention and knowledge. Allah Most High said:

“So turn away from whoever turns away from remembering Us and desires nothing but the life of this world.”

“That is the extent of their knowledge.”

He thus commanded His Prophet to turn away from anyone who turned away from remembering Allah and desired nothing beyond what is in this world. This is the condition of someone whose heart has become corrupt, who does not remember his Lord or turn back to Him so as to seek His countenance and worship Him with sincere, exclusive devotion.

Then He said:

“That is the extent of their knowledge.”

Thus He stated that they