What is the criterion for distinguishing between deeds?
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Question:
The questioner asks: Are all deeds whose benefit extends to others better than deeds that are limited to benefiting the self? Or is there another measure for distinguishing between them? And are there cases where deeds limited to benefiting the self are preferred over deeds that extend to others?
Answer:
These are matters that are subject to the evidence of the Shari'ah. Deeds include those that extend to others and those that are limited to the doer. Prayer is limited in its effect, yet it is the best of deeds after the two testimonies and the most obligatory of deeds after the two testimonies. Nevertheless, it is a deed limited to its doer, and its reward is for the doer alone, not extending to others. Zakah extends to others, yet prayer is better than it. These are matters that are subject to the evidence of the Shari'ah.
The questioner asks: Are all deeds whose benefit extends to others better than deeds that are limited to benefiting the self? Or is there another measure for distinguishing between them? And are there cases where deeds limited to benefiting the self are preferred over deeds that extend to others?
Answer:
These are matters that are subject to the evidence of the Shari'ah. Deeds include those that extend to others and those that are limited to the doer. Prayer is limited in its effect, yet it is the best of deeds after the two testimonies and the most obligatory of deeds after the two testimonies. Nevertheless, it is a deed limited to its doer, and its reward is for the doer alone, not extending to others. Zakah extends to others, yet prayer is better than it. These are matters that are subject to the evidence of the Shari'ah.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.