what harms them. He has forbidden those desires whose indulgence is harmful and condemned those who devote themselves solely to them.

As for someone who uses what is lawful and becoming to help him uphold what is right, this is a righteous deed. Hence the authentic hadith in which the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:

“When one of you has sexual intercourse, that is an act of charity.” They asked, “O Messenger of Allah, can one of us satisfy his desire and be rewarded for it?” He replied, “Tell me: if he satisfied it unlawfully, would he not incur sin?” They said, “Yes.” He said, “Then why do you count sin for what is unlawful, but not reward for what is lawful?”

The two Sahīh collections also report from Sa‘d ibn Abī Waqqās, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said to him:

“Whatever you spend seeking Allah’s Face will increase you in rank and standing—even the morsel you place in your wife’s mouth.”

There are many reports on this subject. Thus, when a believer has a good intention, it extends to his actions in general, and his permissible activities become righteous deeds because of the soundness of his heart and intention. The hypocrite, however, because of the corruption of his heart and intention, is punished for the acts of worship he outwardly performs to show off. For it is related in an authentic hadith that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:

“Indeed, there is a piece of flesh in the body which, if sound, makes the rest of the body sound, and if corrupt, makes the rest of the body corrupt. Indeed, it is the heart.”

Just as punishments have been prescribed to encourage the fulfilment of obligations and the avoidance of forbidden acts, so too has everything that helps achieve this. The path to goodness and obedience should therefore be made easy, and people should be helped and encouraged to follow it by every possible means—for example, by giving