for they lead to abundant good.

If someone were to ask, “How do we reconcile this with the Almighty’s statement, ‘Whatever good comes to you is from Allah, and whatever evil befalls you is from yourself’ (Qur’an 4:79)?”—the answer is that every blessing is purely His favor; He is the One who granted it to you from beginning to end. As for the evil, you are its cause—even though the One who decreed it is Allah—yet you yourself set it in motion. The same meaning is found in His words: “Whatever affliction strikes you is because of what your own hands have earned, and He pardons much” (Surah al-Shura 42:30).

In short, everything that occurs does so by Allah’s decree, whether it be good or bad.

‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, then related what Gabriel—upon him be peace—said to the Prophet, blessings and peace be upon him: “Tell me about ihsan.” He replied, “That you worship Allah as though you see Him; and if you do not see Him, then surely He sees you.”

Ihsan is the opposite of wrongdoing; here it refers to excellence in deeds. The Prophet, blessings and peace be upon him, explained that ihsan is to worship Allah as if you were gazing upon Him: to pray as though you see Allah, to give zakah as though you see Him, to fast, perform the pilgrimage, make ablution, and carry out every other act of worship as though you see Him.

When a person worships Allah as though he sees Him, it is clear evidence of sincerity to Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, and of perfecting one’s deeds in imitation of the Messenger, blessings and peace be upon him. For whoever worships Allah in this manner must inevitably feel in his heart love and reverence for Allah, which drives him to excel in what he does.