That being so, and given that every deed not intended to seek Allah’s Face is vain and fruitless, bringing its doer no benefit when he needs it, every deed not intended to seek Allah’s Face is vain. For such a deed either brings no benefit whatsoever, or brings benefit in this world or in the Hereafter. The first case is clear. The question of its benefit in the Hereafter, after death, is likewise clear: the revealed texts conveyed by the messengers establish that, after death, no deed benefits a person except what he intended for Allah’s Face.

In this world, however, a person may experience pleasure and joy, and he may be recompensed for his deeds here. Yet if those pleasures are followed by greater harm and cause him to miss what is more beneficial and lasting, they too are vain. Thus, every deed not intended to seek Allah’s Face is vain, even if it affords some pleasure.

As for created things, they were once nonexistent and absent. Thus, the truest words ever spoken by a poet are those of Labīd:

“Indeed, all things apart from Allah are vain.”

As the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said:

“The truest words ever spoken by a poet are Labīd’s: ‘Indeed, all things apart from Allah are vain.’”

These words encompass both truth in existence and truth in purpose. Every existing thing is vain without Allah, and every intended end is vain unless Allah is sought. In these two senses, His words:

“Everything will perish except His Face”

have been interpreted as “except what is intended for His Face,” and “nothing exists except through Him.” This is according to one interpretation. As for the other interpretation, which is transmitted from a group of the early generations and was adopted by Imam Ahmad—may He have mercy on him—