۞

« of God’s oneness (tawḥīd). Sahl was asked about the meaning of ‘There is no god save God’ (lā ilāha illā’Llāh). He said: ‘There is no bestower of benefit (nāfiʿ) and no defender (dāfiʿ) except God, Exalted is He.’ He was asked about islām, īmān and iḥsān.5 He answered: Islām is the law (ḥukm), īmān is the bond [with God] (waṣl) and iḥsān is the reward (thawāb); and for that reward there is a reward. Islām is the affirmation (iqrār), and that is outward, īmān pertains to the unseen; and iḥsān is devotion (taʿabbud) — or he might have said: īmān is certainty (yaqīn). He [Sahl] was also asked about the code of laws of Islam and he said: »