Ikhlas (Sincerity) : A Necessary Condition of Ibadah
Author: Abu 'Iyad
Source: The Book of Worship
As
for Ikhlaas, then that is one of the meanings of the testimony "there
is nothing which has the right to Ibaadah except Allaah" in that your
Ibaadah should be exclusively and sincerely for Allaah Azzawajall.
Eemaan by itself is not sufficient for our Ibaadah to be accepted by
Allaah. Rather it is necessary that your action is out of Eemaan in
Allaah and complete Ikhlaas to Him Azzawajall so that you do not make
anyone a partner with Him. The Exalted said:
{Those
who have Eemaan and confuse not their Eemaan with Injustice. For them
there will be security and they are the rightly guided}[1]
Injustice
here means Shirk as was explained by the Messenger
(sallallaahu-alaihi-wasallam) to the companions (radiallaahu-anhum) and
as has been recorded by Bukhaaree in the Kitaabut-Tafseer of his Saheeh.
Allaah
Azzawajall has laid down a condition for the perfection of Eemaan,
which gives its possessor security, guidance and freedom from Shirk and
that is Ikhlaas; the abundance of which is necessary for Ibaadah to be
accepted. The Exalted has said:
{And they were not commanded except with this: that they should worship Allaah, being completely sincere in the Deen}[2]
and the Exalted also said:
{Say: Indeed I have been commanded to worship Allaah making the Deen sincerely for Him alone}[3]
and
there is also the Qudsee Hadeeth reported by Muslim:"I am so
self-sufficient that I am in no need of having partners. Thus, whoever
does an action for someone else's sake as well as Mine, will have that
action rejected by Me to him whom he associated with Me"[ 4]
Ikhlaas
is the sanctification of your speech and action from every blemish of
the soul's desire. For example, desiring your beautification in the
hearts of people, desiring their praise so that they say 'a scholar',
'what a brave man' or 'a doer of good'. Also included in this is running
away from the criticism of the people (i.e. abandoning certain actions
because people may criticise or become angry), seeking people's
magnification of yourself, their aid and assistance, the fulfilment of
your needs or desiring other peoples wealth and possessions - while
being contented with all of that because your soul is deceived and your
amazement with yourself.
Know
also - Brother and Sister Muslim - that Ikhlaas is not correct until
you are truthful in your speech, action, striving and while you desire
nothing but the Face of Allaah Azzawajall and the Home of the Hereafter.
The Exalted said:
{And
whoever desires the Hereafter and strives for it as it should be
strived for while being a believer then his striving will be
acknowledged (rewarded)}[5]
There are some other useful definitions of Ikhlaas:
1. It is the freedom of the desire for nearness to Allaah Azzawajall from every blemish or impurity
2. It is singling out Allaah Azzawajall with ones intention in all acts of worship
3. It is forgetting the sight of the creation by continual observance of the Creator
4. It is to hide your good deeds just like you would hide your evil deeds.[6]
2. It is singling out Allaah Azzawajall with ones intention in all acts of worship
3. It is forgetting the sight of the creation by continual observance of the Creator
4. It is to hide your good deeds just like you would hide your evil deeds.[6]
So
be warned - Brother and Sister Muslim - that no action is acceptable to
Allaah if somebody else is given a share in it. Reflect carefully upon
the words of Yoosuf bin al Hussain ar-Raazee: "Indeed the hardest thing
(to achieve) in this world is Ikhlaas. How many times have I struggled
to extinguish riyaa (showing off) from my heart except that it only
appeared again in a different colour" [7]
Also
reflect upon the words narrated by Ibn Qudaamah al-Maqdisee in his
[Mukhtasir Minhaaj il-Qaasideen] "Indeed mankind, all of them, are
destroyed except those with knowledge and all those with knowledge are
destroyed except those who act upon it and all those who act are
destroyed except those who are sincere in their action and all those who
are sincere are in great danger (of associating other than Allaah in
their actions)".[8]
Notes
1 [An'aam 6:82]
2 [Bayyinah 98:5]
3 [Zumar 39:11]
4 Reported by Muslim
5 [Israa 17:19]
6 Taken from the Book [Al-Ikhlaas] by Abu Muhammad ibn Sa'eed al- Baylaawee
7 [Jaami ul-Uloom wal-Hikam] of Ibn Rajab al-Hanbalee p.
8 [Mukhtasir Minhaaj il- Qaasideen] of Ibn Qudaamah al-Maqdisee p.
2 [Bayyinah 98:5]
3 [Zumar 39:11]
4 Reported by Muslim
5 [Israa 17:19]
6 Taken from the Book [Al-Ikhlaas] by Abu Muhammad ibn Sa'eed al- Baylaawee
7 [Jaami ul-Uloom wal-Hikam] of Ibn Rajab al-Hanbalee p.
8 [Mukhtasir Minhaaj il- Qaasideen] of Ibn Qudaamah al-Maqdisee p.
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