the ummah of response—that is, those who have answered the call of the Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him.

“Granted well-being” means that Allah has granted them safety and pardon.

“Except those who sin openly”: the ones who flaunt their disobedience to Allah. These fall into two categories:

1. A person who commits the sin while openly displaying it, carrying it out in full view of others. Such a person is certainly not in a state of well-being, for he drags ruin upon himself and upon others.

   • The ruin he brings upon himself: he has wronged his own soul by disobeying Allah and His Messenger. Anyone who disobeys Allah and His Messenger has indeed wronged himself. Allah the Exalted says, “Yet they did not wrong Us; rather, they wronged their own souls” (al-Baqarah 2:57). Your soul is a trust placed in your care; you are obliged to tend it well. Just as a shepherd chooses wholesome pastures for his livestock and keeps them away from harmful grazing, you must guide your soul to wholesome pastures—righteous deeds—and keep it away from foul pastures—sinful acts.

   • The ruin he brings upon others: when people see him committing the sin, it becomes trivial in their eyes and they follow his example. He thus becomes—Allah’s refuge is sought—one of the leaders who call to the Fire, as Allah the Exalted says about Pharaoh’s clan: “We made them leaders calling to the Fire, and on the Day of Resurrection they will not be helped” (al-Qasas 28:41).

The Prophet, blessings and peace be upon him, said, “Whoever initiates an evil practice in Islam…”