And Shaykh al-Islām said:

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A further point concerning the three things that bring ruin and those that bring salvation—regarding which he mentioned that, when faced with the things that bring ruin, one should attend to one’s own affairs—is his saying:

“Avarice that is obeyed and desire that is followed.”

He thus described the former as being obeyed and the latter as being followed. This—and Allah knows best—is because desire is the soul’s love and craving for something, whether the word denotes the desire itself or the object desired.

A person governed by desire is commanded and summoned by his desire, so he follows it, just as the movements of the limbs follow the heart’s will. Hence Allah Most High said:

“Do not follow the desires of a people who went astray before and led many others astray.”

And He said:

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

This encompasses following desires in religion, as with the Christians and those who introduce innovations concerning doctrine and divine decree. Thus the early generations used to call them “people of desires,” including the Rāfidah and the Khawārij. Such desire is found among many of the fuqarā and jurists, except those whom Allah protects.