How do we reconcile the hadith, "Whoever loves to be expanded in his provision and lengthened in his lifespan, let him maintain the ties of kinship," which encourages the deed for a worldly reward, with the statement of the Shaykh?
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The questioner : The question, may Allah preserve you: It is related to the question of the brother just now, regarding what Shaykh al-Islam (may Allah have mercy on him) mentioned. He said that if a person performs a righteous deed and desires the thanks of people or something of the display of this world, his reward is diminished. There are some hadiths in which the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) encouraged the deed and mentioned an incentive in that, such as what is in the reward in this world or what follows from it. Among them is his saying (peace and blessings be upon him): Sahih Muslim 2557b So it seems that in this hadith there is an incentive for a person, for example, to seek this, or for example, to have an interest in this aspect. What is the explanation?
The Shaykh : This, may Allah bless you, is not the issue that was mentioned. The one who was mentioned wants to draw near to people by their praise of him. As for this, he wants to benefit himself, because expanding provision may be a cause for good, charity, and benefiting the Muslims, and lengthening lifespan is also a cause for increasing righteous deeds. Perhaps he is a scholar from whom people benefit with his knowledge, so it is good. Otherwise, there is no doubt that what the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) mentions of immediate reward is intended to encourage, but he does not intend for the person's purpose in this deed to be the immediate reward. There is a difference between something that encourages a person to do good, which is not done except for Allah, and one who wants this to become a means to something else.
The questioner : ...
The Shaykh : If what he did not do for does not harm, and if he did not do it for, it does not harm. Yes.
He who likes that his sustenance should be expanded and his age may be lengthened should join the tie of kinship.
من أحب أن يبسط له في رزقه وينسأ له في أثره فليصل رحمهThe Shaykh : This, may Allah bless you, is not the issue that was mentioned. The one who was mentioned wants to draw near to people by their praise of him. As for this, he wants to benefit himself, because expanding provision may be a cause for good, charity, and benefiting the Muslims, and lengthening lifespan is also a cause for increasing righteous deeds. Perhaps he is a scholar from whom people benefit with his knowledge, so it is good. Otherwise, there is no doubt that what the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) mentions of immediate reward is intended to encourage, but he does not intend for the person's purpose in this deed to be the immediate reward. There is a difference between something that encourages a person to do good, which is not done except for Allah, and one who wants this to become a means to something else.
The questioner : ...
The Shaykh : If what he did not do for does not harm, and if he did not do it for, it does not harm. Yes.