Does Ibn Rajab's statement, "Indeed, following one's whims in what Allah has forbidden is a flaw in the completeness and perfection of Tawhid," contradict the Hadith Qudsi: "O son of Adam, were you to come to Me with sins as much as the earth, and then meet Me, not associating anything with Me, I would come to you with forgiveness as much as it?"

There is no contradiction between following whims and disbelief (kufr), for not every act of obedience to whims constitutes disbelief that expels one from the faith. Rather, it may be a sin that diminishes faith. Following whims varies: some of it is permissible, some is forbidden or involves laziness in performing an obligation, and these two do not lead to disbelief. Then there is following whims in worshipping other than Allah or in disbelieving in the Muhammadan message, and this last one is explicit disbelief. The Quran condemns those who take their whims as their god. Obedience to whims may only be a sin and is not called shirk (polytheism), unless obedience to whims in matters of worship compromises monotheism. For whoever loves something and obeys it, and it becomes the ultimate goal of his intention, then he has worshipped it.