Sufi Classics · July 5, 2026

211. Wisdom: The Reward of Worship and Sin Returns to You

Neither your worship benefits the Exalted God, nor does your sin harm Him. Yet His commanding worship and forbidding sin is, in the end, for a benefit that will return to you. Poetic Translation Worship brings no …

Hikem-i Ataiyye 211th wisdom Arabic text

Neither your worship benefits the Exalted God, nor does your sin harm Him. Yet His commanding worship and forbidding sin is, in the end, for a benefit that will return to you.

Poetic Translation

Worship brings no benefit to God Most High

Nor does your evil deed cause Him harm

Truly, the command and prohibition of the Majestic One

In the end, returns as benefit to you alone

Explanation

Since the Exalted God (Cenâb-ı Hak) is transcendent above any recompense or compensation in His actions, He is independent of the deeds of those who act. Neither does the worship of the righteous benefit Him, nor does the disobedience of the wicked harm Him. His commanding His servants to worship and forbidding them from sin is, in the end, due to the worldly benefits and otherworldly advantages that will return to the servants themselves.

For example, there is no doubt that the five daily prayers, which God Most High has commanded for the people of iman (faith), not only serve as a means of drawing near to Allah, but also contain many material benefits in terms of preserving health. Similarly, the fast that the Exalted God has commanded to be observed for one month each year contains, in addition to great spiritual benefits such as the disciplining of the nafs (lower self), the purification of the qalb (heart), the attainment of spiritual unveilings, and the arrival of the fasting person to the Exalted God, many bodily benefits as well. Therefore, Allah Most High has commanded obedience and forbidden disobedience for the benefit of His servants.

Whoever does not see the answer of the Truth as reward, For him, the answer is to give no answer at all.