How sound is the Sufi saying: "The worshiper does not worship God for the sake of Paradise and Hell, otherwise he is like a hired laborer, as this contradicts the perfection of sincerity," and what is its proper interpretation? What is the opinion on Shaykh Zakariya al-Ansari's book "Ahkam al-Dalala 'ala Tahrir al-Risala," which contains this idea?

This meaning requires elaboration, for Allah is deserving of worship for His essence and attributes. Worship should not be confined to the desire for Paradise or the fear of Hellfire. Rather, it must be coupled with the hope of Allah's reward and the fear of His punishment, because Paradise is not merely a physical pleasure; it is an absolute bliss that includes gazing upon the Noble Face of Allah, and this is the greatest bliss.

Ibn al-Qayyim, may Allah have mercy on him, used as evidence that Paradise includes the bliss of gazing upon Allah's Face, the saying of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him: "And I ask You for the delight of gazing upon Your Face, and the longing to meet You."

He mentioned that people are of four categories in this regard: 1. Those who do not desire their Lord nor His reward; these are His enemies. 2. Those who desire Allah and His reward; these are His special creation. 3. Those who desire from Allah but do not desire Allah; this one is ignorant of his Lord. 4. Those who desire Allah but desire nothing from Him; this is rationally and inherently impossible, for desire is among the necessities of a living being.