fearing Him in private and in public; being mindful of Him by fulfilling His obligations and avoiding His prohibitions; seeking His reward; believing Him and His Messengers in everything they have conveyed; and obeying Him in all His commands—all of which bring benefit and well-being to the servant in this life and the Hereafter. Their opposites bring him misery and harm in this life and the Hereafter.

Without the revealed message, reason would not have discerned the details of what benefits and harms people in their worldly lives and in the Hereafter. Among Allah’s greatest blessings and noblest favours upon His servants is that He sent them His Messengers, revealed His Books to them, and made the straight path clear to them. Without this, they would have been like livestock and beasts—indeed, worse off than them. Whoever accepts Allah’s message and remains steadfast upon it is among the best of creation. Whoever rejects it and departs from it is among the worst of creation, worse off than dogs, pigs, and beasts.

In the Sahīh, Abū Mūsā, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:

“The guidance and knowledge with which Allah has sent me are like rain that fell upon a land. One part of it absorbed the water and brought forth abundant pasture and grass. Another part was barren ground that retained the water, through which Allah benefited people: they drank from it, made use of it, and cultivated their crops. The rain also fell upon another part consisting only of level plains that neither retained water nor produced pasture. Such is the likeness of one who gains understanding of the religion of Allah Most High and benefits from that with which Allah has sent me, learning and teaching; and the likeness of one who pays it no heed and does not accept Allah’s guidance with which I have been sent.”

Its authenticity is agreed upon.