I understood from the words of the Shaykh al-Islam that whoever does good seeking thanks or supplication, their deed is not pure for the sake of Allah. Is this correct?
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The questioner : May Allah preserve you, O Shaykh: I understood from the words of Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him), and from the apparent meaning of his words, that whoever does good seeking thanks or supplication, their deed is not pure for the sake of Allah. So what is your guidance?
The Shaykh : Yes, this is correct. A person who performs an act of worship that is due to Allah alone, if he associates anyone with Allah in it, that invalidates the worship. So if someone prays in order for people to thank him for the prayer and praise him for it, there is no doubt that he intended something other than Allah with his deed. Then, it is either major shirk (associating partners with Allah) or minor shirk, depending on what is in the heart. However, if he prays for the sake of Allah and then people praise him for that prayer, there is nothing wrong with that. In fact, this may be part of the immediate glad tidings for the believer. But it is obligatory for a person to devote to Allah what belongs to Allah, without associating anyone with Him in it. People cannot benefit you from Allah in any way, and Allah makes you independent of all people. So why do you not draw near to Allah with what is used to draw near to Him? Do you draw near to people with prayer, which is for Allah?
The questioner : But the question, O Shaykh, is his saying "or supplication"... that this person supplicates for him.
The Shaykh : Even this is a deficiency in sincerity. The righteous said:[Al-Insan 76:9] And supplication is part of the reward, based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): Mishkat al-Masabih 1943 And there is no doubt that there is a great difference between a person who gives for the sake of Allah, Mighty and Majestic, seeking to draw near to Allah, Mighty and Majestic, and a person who says, "I give to him so that he will supplicate for me." It is a far difference.
The questioner : O Shaykh, how...
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : Shaykh, may Allah reward you: In the previous session, we added an explanation of the supplication of qunut from al-Kafi by your eminence.
The Shaykh : What?
The questioner : An explanation of the supplication of qunut from al-Kafi.
The Shaykh : From where?
The questioner : From al-Kafi.
The Shaykh : Al-Kafi?
The questioner : Al-Kafi in the Fiqh of Imam Ahmad.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : Yes, we added it in the conditions, meaning one can refer to it for the explanation of the supplication of qunut.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The Shaykh : Yes, this is correct. A person who performs an act of worship that is due to Allah alone, if he associates anyone with Allah in it, that invalidates the worship. So if someone prays in order for people to thank him for the prayer and praise him for it, there is no doubt that he intended something other than Allah with his deed. Then, it is either major shirk (associating partners with Allah) or minor shirk, depending on what is in the heart. However, if he prays for the sake of Allah and then people praise him for that prayer, there is nothing wrong with that. In fact, this may be part of the immediate glad tidings for the believer. But it is obligatory for a person to devote to Allah what belongs to Allah, without associating anyone with Him in it. People cannot benefit you from Allah in any way, and Allah makes you independent of all people. So why do you not draw near to Allah with what is used to draw near to Him? Do you draw near to people with prayer, which is for Allah?
The questioner : But the question, O Shaykh, is his saying "or supplication"... that this person supplicates for him.
The Shaykh : Even this is a deficiency in sincerity. The righteous said:
[Saying], "We feed you only for the countenance of Allah. We wish not from you reward or gratitude.
إنما نطعمكم لوجه الله لا نريد منكم جزاء ولا شكورًاif anyone does you a kindness recompense him, but if you have not the means to do so pray for him
من صنع إليكم معروفًا فكافئوه فإن لم تجدوا ما تكافئوه فادعوا لهThe questioner : O Shaykh, how...
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : Shaykh, may Allah reward you: In the previous session, we added an explanation of the supplication of qunut from al-Kafi by your eminence.
The Shaykh : What?
The questioner : An explanation of the supplication of qunut from al-Kafi.
The Shaykh : From where?
The questioner : From al-Kafi.
The Shaykh : Al-Kafi?
The questioner : Al-Kafi in the Fiqh of Imam Ahmad.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : Yes, we added it in the conditions, meaning one can refer to it for the explanation of the supplication of qunut.
The Shaykh : Yes.