Chapter

Regarding the statement, “Affinity is an ambiguous term”: it may refer to begetting and kinship. Thus, one says, “This man is related to so-and-so and is his kin,” when a bond of kinship exists between them through birth and common descent from Adam. Allah—Glorified and Exalted—is far above that.

It may also refer to likeness. Thus, one says, “This resembles that,” meaning that it is like it. Yet Allah—Glorified and Exalted—is One, the Self-Sufficient upon whom all depend. He neither begets nor is born, and none is comparable to Him.

It may also refer to agreement in some respect, the opposite of which is disagreement.

Affinity in this sense is established. Allah Most High’s allies are in accord with Him concerning what He commands, and so they do it; what He loves, and so they love it; what He has forbidden, and so they forsake it; and what He grants, and so they receive it. Allah is One and loves what is odd-numbered; He is beautiful and loves beauty; All-Knowing and loves knowledge; pure and loves cleanliness; beneficent and loves those who do good; just and loves those who act justly—and so on with other such meanings.

Indeed, He—Glorified is He—rejoices at a penitent person’s repentance with a joy greater than that of someone who, in a deadly wasteland, loses his mount bearing his food and drink, then finds it after having despaired. Allah rejoices more at His servant’s repentance than that man does at recovering his mount, as is authentically established from the Prophet—peace and blessings be upon him—in the canonical hadith collections.