"Sometimes He opens the door of obedience for you but not the door of acceptance; or sometimes He condemns you to sin, and it turns out to be a cause of arriving to Him."

[HIKAM 95]

The following lecture has two main discussions. The first discusses good deeds/acts of devotion and its components. Starting from the intention of the act to actually carrying out the deed and the final stage of whether it is accepted in the court of Allah Most High or not. Factors which render deeds to remain unaccepted are mentioned.

The second part, the Shaykh explains how in fact a sin/act of disobedience can become the means of a person returning and gaining closeness to Allah Most High. Cited is the following prophetic narration: "Many a times there is sin (carried out) which (in fact) is the means of the person entering Jannah" to which the companions in astonishment reply as to how...