Shaykh al-Islām said:
Section
“A Principle”
Good deeds are deemed good on two grounds: first, the welfare and benefit they bring; and second, the corruption and harm they avert. Likewise, evil deeds are deemed evil on two grounds: first, the corruption and harm they entail; and second, the benefit and welfare they obstruct.
An example is His saying, Exalted is He:
“Indeed, prayer restrains one from indecency and wrongdoing, and the remembrance of Allah is greater.”
He thus explains both aspects. His saying:
“Indeed, prayer restrains one from indecency and wrongdoing”
explains how it averts corruption and harm. When the soul engages in remembering Allah and supplicating to Him—especially in a particular manner—this imparts to it a righteous disposition that restrains it from indecency and wrongdoing, as a person can sense within himself.
For this reason, He says, Exalted is He:
“Seek help through patience and prayer.”
For the heart experiences such joy, happiness, and contentment that it has no need for