Do some people abandon sins not for the sake of fearing Allah, but to hit the mark?
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The questioner : May Allah reward you. Some people abandon sins not out of fear of Allah (Mighty and Majestic), but to hit the mark.
The Shaykh : But to what end?
The questioner : To hit the mark.
The Shaykh : But to what end?
The questioner : To hit the mark.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : Like one who recites the Qur'an until the person becomes strong, until the person becomes strong...
The Shaykh : This person has nothing but what he intended.
The questioner : What does "hit the mark" mean, O Shaykh?
The Shaykh : To hit the mark.
The questioner : I say, if one does this, if he abandons sins in order to hit the mark, not out of fear of Allah, will he be granted success in hitting the mark?
The Shaykh : I mean, does it mean that he seeks forgiveness in order to hit the mark, seeks forgiveness to hit the mark?
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Well, this is a legitimate religious intention. The problematic case is the one who fears Allah in order for Allah to provide for him. As for the one who seeks forgiveness in order for the truth to become clear to him, that is fine, it is a legitimate religious concept. But what about the one who does good deeds solely for worldly sustenance and material gain? Do we say that he has no reward in the Hereafter, based on the saying of Allah the Exalted:[Hud 11:15-16] and the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): And likewise, what about the one who recites the daily supplications in order for them to protect and preserve him, like the one who recites the Verse of the Throne, for example, so that Satan does not approach him, and "there is for him from Allah a protector"? Is he rewarded for reciting it or not?
The student: He is rewarded.
The Shaykh : This is a matter for reflection, this is a matter for reflection, because he did good, but his ambition or intention, I mean, is not complete, it is not complete. This is a matter for reflection.
The Shaykh : But to what end?
The questioner : To hit the mark.
The Shaykh : But to what end?
The questioner : To hit the mark.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : Like one who recites the Qur'an until the person becomes strong, until the person becomes strong...
The Shaykh : This person has nothing but what he intended.
The questioner : What does "hit the mark" mean, O Shaykh?
The Shaykh : To hit the mark.
The questioner : I say, if one does this, if he abandons sins in order to hit the mark, not out of fear of Allah, will he be granted success in hitting the mark?
The Shaykh : I mean, does it mean that he seeks forgiveness in order to hit the mark, seeks forgiveness to hit the mark?
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Well, this is a legitimate religious intention. The problematic case is the one who fears Allah in order for Allah to provide for him. As for the one who seeks forgiveness in order for the truth to become clear to him, that is fine, it is a legitimate religious concept. But what about the one who does good deeds solely for worldly sustenance and material gain? Do we say that he has no reward in the Hereafter, based on the saying of Allah the Exalted:
(15) Whoever desires the life of this world and its adornments - We fully repay them for their deeds therein, and they therein will not be deprived. (16) Those are the ones for whom there is not in the Hereafter but the Fire. And lost is what they did therein, and worthless is what they used to do.
مَنْ كَانَ يُرِيدُ الْحَيَاةَ الدُّنْيَا وَزِينَتَهَا نُوَفِّ إِلَيْهِمْ أَعْمَالَهُمْ فِيهَا وَهُمْ فِيهَا لَا يُبْخَسُونَ * أُولَئِكَ الَّذِينَ لَيْسَ لَهُمْ فِي الْآخِرَةِ إِلَّا النَّارُActions are only by intentions
إنما الأعمال بالنياتThe student: He is rewarded.
The Shaykh : This is a matter for reflection, this is a matter for reflection, because he did good, but his ambition or intention, I mean, is not complete, it is not complete. This is a matter for reflection.