S e c o n d P o i n t : Love of God necessitates following the Practices of Muhammad (Upon whom be blessings and peace). For to love God is to do what pleases Him, and the things that please Him are manifested in most perfect form in the person of Muhammad (UWBP). There are two ways of resembling Muhammad’s (UWBP) actions and deeds:
The First: Obeying Almighty God’s commands in respect of loving Him and within the bounds of what pleases Him necessitates following them, for the most perfect leader in such matters is the person of Muhammad (UWBP).
The Second: Since the person of Muhammad (UWBP) is the chief means of man receiving innumerable divine favours, he is surely worthy of boundless love for the sake of Almighty God. If man is capable of resembling someone he loves, by nature he wants to do so. This definitely necessitates that those who love God’s Beloved (UWBP) try to resemble him by following his illustrious practices.
T h i r d P o i n t : Almighty God has boundless love, just as He has infinite compassion. Just as He makes Himself loved in infinite fashion through all the fine qualities and adornment of the creatures in the universe, so He loves in particular conscious beings who respond with love to His making His artefacts loved. It may be clearly understood how important and exalted an aim it is to try to attract the love of the Being one manifestation of whose mercy are all the subtle wonders and good things and delights and bounties of Paradise. Since it is stated clearly that His love is won only through following Muhammad’s (UWBP) practices, it is certain that it should be man’s greatest aim and his most urgent duty.
ELEVENTH POINT
This consists of three matters.
F i r s t M a t t e r : The sources of the Noble Messenger’s (UWBP) illustrious practices are threefold: his words, his acts, and his conduct. And each of these has three categories: obligatory, voluntary, and laudable.
It is imperative to follow those that are obligatory and compulsory, and penalties and punishment are incurred for giving them up. Everyone is charged with following them. As for the voluntary sort, as a means of winning God’s love, the believers are again charged with following them, but they receive no penalty if they fail to do so. However, to act in accordance with them and to follow them is highly meritorious, while to change them is innovation, misguidance, and a great error. To emulate the Prophet’s (UWBP) customary actions is extremely laudable and in accordance with wisdom, and is beneficial for both personal life and social life and for