The Roots of Good and Evil

Imām Ibn Taimiyyah, may Allāh have mercy on him, said:

The root of doing good is believing in the Truth and loving it, while the root of all evil is disbelieving in it or disliking it—and coming after that is believing in falsehood and loving it.

Believing in the Truth and loving it is the foundation of beneficial knowledge and righteous action, while disbelieving in it or disliking it are from ignorance, wrongdoing, and oppression.

Jāmiʿ Al-Masāʾil, vol. 4, p. 49.