with doing what is commanded, just as He mentions righteousness alongside it, and as in Noah’s words:

“Worship Allah, fear Him, and obey me.”

This is because such piety necessarily entails doing what is commanded.

Thirdly, we say: most people may perform some of what is commanded, but only the truly sincere refrain from what is forbidden, as Sahl said. This is because the soul has an inclination towards what is commanded, whereas refraining from what is forbidden requires opposing one’s desires and striving against oneself. It is therefore harder and more demanding, and few practise it. No one can do so without also doing what is commanded. Piety cannot be conceived as action [and] abstention alone. Whoever abandons associating partners with Allah, following misleading desires, and pursuing forbidden pleasures must necessarily perform many commanded deeds that keep him from these things. Their piety thus preserves the good deeds they have been commanded to perform and protects them from sins that harm them. This differs, for example, from someone who does both what he is commanded and what he is forbidden: committing forbidden acts corrupts whatever commanded deeds it corrupts, so that they do not remain intact for him.

This is why the ultimate good outcome belongs to piety, as Allah Most High says:

“And the ultimate good outcome belongs to piety.”

“And the ultimate good outcome is for those who fear Allah.”

“And if you are patient and fear Allah, their plotting will not harm you at all.”

Those who fear Allah are like someone who eats wholesome food and avoids harmful foods: his body becomes healthy, and his eventual condition is sound. Someone who lacks piety, however, is like a person who mixes different foods: although he gains nourishment from them, those mixtures may cause him