of religion. Otherwise, his misguided scrupulousness may do more harm than good, as has happened among disbelievers and people of religious innovation, including the Khawārij, the Rāfidah and others.

The third consideration: a countervailing factor of greater weight.

This is more difficult than the preceding consideration. Something may have a harmful aspect that calls for avoiding it. A scrupulous person notices this but overlooks the greater good that weighs against it. The converse is subject to the same principle. It has become clear that someone who regards scrupulousness as abstention alone, includes within it the conduct of people who have good intentions but lack insight into their religion, and disregards the greater good they have forfeited through their scrupulousness, has missed more of the religion of Islam than he has grasped. Indeed, he may find fault with people who are closer to salvation and happiness. This principle is of great benefit in cases of this kind and others like them.

It benefits those whose scrupulousness is deficient or misguided, as well as those whose renunciation of worldly things is deficient or misguided. For the renunciation prescribed by Allah and His Messenger consists in having no desire for superfluous permissible things that bring no benefit. Forgoing superfluous permissible things that bring no religious benefit is renunciation, not scrupulousness. There is no doubt that craving and desire for this worldly life and its wealth and power are harmful. Al-Tirmidhī narrated that Ka‘b ibn Mālik said:

The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:

“Two hungry wolves let loose in a sheepfold are no more destructive to it than a man’s craving for wealth and honour is to his religion.”

Al-Tirmidhī said: “This is a good and authentic hadith.” Thus the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, condemned craving