What is the ruling on one who performs an act for Allah the Exalted in order to seek nearness to Him through it in relieving his distress?
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The questioner : Your Eminence, peace be upon you and Allah's mercy and blessings. What is the ruling on one who performs an act for Allah the Exalted in order to seek nearness to Him through it in relieving his distress?
The Shaykh : Yes. There is no harm in that. A person performs an act through which he seeks nearness to Allah (Mighty and Majestic) to have his distress relieved, or his desire fulfilled, or something similar.
Therefore, the three men who went out and were overtaken by night in a cave were unable to get out of this cave, so each of them sought nearness to Allah (Mighty and Majestic) through his righteous deed, and Allah relieved them. As for one of them, he sought nearness to Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) through dutifulness to his parents. As for the second, through complete chastity. And as for the third, through complete trustworthiness.
وأما الثالث فكان قد استأجر أجراء فأعطاهم أجرتهم إلا واحدا ثم إن هذا الرجل نمى الأجرة حتى صارت واديا من بقر وإبل - ولا أدري غنم أيضا أو لا -. فجاء صاحب الأجرة وقال أعطني أجرتي قال كل ما في هذا لك قال اتق الله ولا تستهزئ بي قال هذا لك فأخذها وذهب بها. اللهم إن كنت فعلت ذلك من أجلك فافرج عنا ما نحن فيه فانفرجت الصخرة حتى خرجوا يمشون. Yes.
The Shaykh : Yes. There is no harm in that. A person performs an act through which he seeks nearness to Allah (Mighty and Majestic) to have his distress relieved, or his desire fulfilled, or something similar.
Therefore, the three men who went out and were overtaken by night in a cave
So they entered the cave, and Allah sent down upon them a rock that blocked the entrance, and they were unable to get out of it.
فدخلوا الغار فأرسل الله عليهم صخرة سدت الباب وعجزوا عنهThe first was the one who sought nearness through dutifulness to his parents. He sought nearness to Allah through his dutifulness to his parents. He was a shepherd, and he took his sheep to distant pastures, which caused him to be delayed. He came to his parents and found them sleeping. He used to milk for them, but when he found them sleeping, he did not wake them. The children were with them, crying from hunger, and he did not give them anything until dawn broke and they woke up from their sleep. He said, "O Allah, if I did that for Your sake, then relieve us of what we are in." So the rock moved slightly, but they were still unable to get out. As for the second, he sought nearness to Allah through complete chastity. He had a cousin whom he loved intensely, so he tried to seduce her, but she refused. One day, she was overcome by a need, and she came to him. Hunger compelled her to allow him to have his way with her. When he sat with her as a man sits with his wife, she said, "O so-and-so, fear Allah and do not break the seal except with its right." He got up from her, although she was the most beloved of people to him, seeking the Face of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He). As for the third, he had hired workers and paid them their wages except for one. Then this man's wage increased until it became a valley of cattle and camels—and I do not know if it included sheep or not. The owner of the wage came and said, "Give me my wage." He said, "Take everything in this valley for yourself." He said, "Fear Allah and do not mock me." He said, "This is for you." So he took it and left with it. He said, "O Allah, if I did that for Your sake, then relieve us of what we are in." So the rock moved until they walked out.
الأول صاحب الذي توسل ببر الوالدين توسل إلى الله ببر والديه وهو كان صاحب غنم فأبعد به المرعى حتى تأخر فجاء إلى والديه فوجدهما نائمين وكان يحلب لهما فلما وجدهما نائمين لم يوقظهما والصبية عنده يتضاغون من الجوع ولم يعطهم حتى طلع الفجر وقاما من نومهما فقال اللهم إن كنت فعلت ذلك لوجهك فافرج عنا ما نحن فيه فانفرجت الصخرة قليلا حتى لكنهم لم يستيطعوا الخروج. وأما الثاني فتوسل إلى الله لكمال العفة حيث كانت له ابنت عم وكان يحبها حبا شديدا فراودها عن نفسها فأبت فألمت بها حاجة ذات يوم فجاءت إليه واضطرها الجوع إلى أن تمكنه من نفسها. فلما جلس منها ما يجلس الرجل من امراته قالت يا فلان اتق الله ولا تفض الخاتم إلا بحقه فقام منها وهي أحب الناس إليه ابتغاء وجه الله سبحانه وتعالى.وأما الثالث فكان قد استأجر أجراء فأعطاهم أجرتهم إلا واحدا ثم إن هذا الرجل نمى الأجرة حتى صارت واديا من بقر وإبل - ولا أدري غنم أيضا أو لا -. فجاء صاحب الأجرة وقال أعطني أجرتي قال كل ما في هذا لك قال اتق الله ولا تستهزئ بي قال هذا لك فأخذها وذهب بها. اللهم إن كنت فعلت ذلك من أجلك فافرج عنا ما نحن فيه فانفرجت الصخرة حتى خرجوا يمشون