The Position of Fazaa’il and Masaa’il

Hazrat Moulana Muhammad Ilyaas (rahmatullahi ‘alaih) once mentioned the following:

The position of fazaa’il (virtues and rewards of various good deeds) is before masaa’il. When people come to know of the fazaa’il (virtues and rewards of various good deeds), then they will have conviction and yaqeen of receiving virtues and rewards for carrying out the good deeds. This yaqeen stems from imaan, and this is the thing that will motivate them to practice upon deen.

Hence, when they will be motivated to practice upon deen, then they will perceive the need to enquire and find out about the various masaa’il of deen. It is for this reason that we feel it important to explain to people the fazaa’il of good deeds (before explaining to them the masaa’il of those deeds).

(Malfoozaat Hazrat Moulana Muhammad Ilyaas (rahmatullahi ‘alaih) pg. 129-130)