But the praiseworthy intention that Allah accepts and rewards is to seek Allah alone through that deed. The praiseworthy deed is the righteous one—that which has been commanded.

For this reason, ʿUmar ibn al-Khattāb, may Allah be pleased with him, used to say in his supplication: “O Allah, make all my deeds righteous, make them sincerely for Your sake, and let no one else have any share in them.”

Since this defines every righteous deed, enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong must likewise meet these conditions. This concerns the person who enjoins and forbids. His deed cannot be righteous unless it is based on knowledge and understanding. As ʿUmar ibn ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz said: “When someone worships Allah without knowledge, what he