And the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said to Saʿd: “You will never spend anything seeking the countenance of Allah without being raised in rank and honour thereby—even the morsel you lift to your wife’s mouth.”

It is also authentically reported: “When a man spends on his family, seeking Allah’s reward, it counts as charity for him.”

The same applies to supplications. Suppose some people ask Allah to bring them benefit and ward off harm out of natural inclination and habit, rather than in obedience to His law and as an act of worship. Their shortcomings and negligence do not make it prescribed for me to abandon supplication altogether. Rather, I should supplicate in obedience to His law and as an act of worship.