Sharh Riyad as-Saliheen by Ibn Uthaymeen — Volume 1 (شرح رياض الصالحين) — Page 750

Line-by-line translation · المعاني

بَابُ بَيَانِ كَثْرَةِ طُرُقِ الْخَيْرِ

13 - Chapter: The Many Paths to Goodness.

وَفِيهِ دَلِيلٌ عَلَى كَثْرَةِ طُرُقِ الْخَيْرِ، وَأَنَّ مَا انْتَفَعَ بِهِ النَّاسُ مِنَ الْخَيْرِ، فَإِنَّ لِصَاحِبِهِ أَجْرًا وَلَهُ فِيهِ الْخَيْرُ، سَوَاءٌ نَوَى أَوْ لَمْ يَنْوِ، وَهَذَا كَقَوْلِهِ تَعَالَى: ﴿لَّا خَيْرَ فِي كَثِيرٍ مِّن نَّجْوَاهُمْ إِلَّا مَنْ أَمَرَ بِصَدَقَةٍ أَوْ مَعْرُوفٍ أَوْ إِصْلَاحِ بَيْنَ النَّاسِ وَمَن يَفْعَلْ ذَلِكَ ابْتِغَاءَ مَرْضَاتِ اللَّهِ فَسَوْفَ نُؤْتِيهِ أَجْرًا عَظِيمًا﴾ [النِّسَاءِ: ١١٤]، فَذَكَرَ اللَّهُ سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى أَنَّ هَذِهِ الْأَشْيَاءَ فِيهَا خَيْرٌ، سَوَاءٌ نُوِيَتْ أَوْ لَمْ تُنْوَ، مَنْ أَمَرَ بِصَدَقَةٍ أَوْ مَعْرُوفٍ أَوْ إِصْلَاحٍ بَيْنَ النَّاسِ فَهُوَ خَيْرٌ وَمَعْرُوفٌ، نَوَى أَمْ لَمْ يَنْوِ، فَإِنْ نَوَى بِذَلِكَ ابْتِغَاءَ وَجْهِ اللَّهِ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ يَقُولُ: فَسَوْفَ نُؤْتِيهِ أَجْرًا عَظِيمًا).

This chapter demonstrates the abundance of paths to goodness. Any good that benefits people earns its provider a reward, regardless of whether they intended it. Allah the Almighty says: 'There is no good in most of their private conversations, except for those who enjoin charity, or kindness, or reconciliation between people. And whoever does that seeking the pleasure of Allah, then We will give him a great reward' [An-Nisa: 114]. Allah indicates that these deeds are inherently good, whether or not they were performed with explicit intention. Enjoining charity, kindness, or reconciliation is always a good deed. However, if one performs these acts seeking only the Face of Allah, He promises: 'We will give him a great reward'.

وَفِي هَذَا دَلِيلٌ عَلَى أَنَّ الْمَصَالِحَ وَالْمَنَافِعَ إِذَا انْتَفَعَ النَّاسُ بِهَا كَانَتْ خَيْرًا لِصَاحِبِهَا وَأَجْرًا وَإِنْ لَمْ يَنْوِ، فَإِنْ نَوَى زَادَ خَيْرًا عَلَى خَيْرٍ، وَآتَاهُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى مِنْ فَضْلِهِ أَجْرًا عَظِيمًا.

This serves as evidence that when people benefit from a service or act, it is a source of goodness and reward for the provider, even without a specific intention. If they do act with pure intention, they add virtue upon virtue, and Allah grants them a great reward from His bounty.

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Vocabulary · المفردات (18 verbs · 33 nouns)

• بَيَّنَ — to explain
• انْتَفَعَ — to benefit
• نَوَى — to intend
• بَابٌ — chapter
• بَيَانٌ — explanation
• كَثْرَةٌ — abundance