Sincerity has been interpreted as being upright, sincere, truthful, pure, distant from show and ostentation in one's intention and conduct, and being closed to the things that cloud or foul one's heart. Purity of intention, straightforwardness in thoughts, not pursuing any worldly purposes in relations with Allah, and loyalty in servitude to Him are also included in the meaning of sincerity.

The Muslim believes in the great importance of intention and its importance for the remainder of his deeds, both of this world and the Hereafter. This is because all deeds are based on intention. Depending on the intention, the deed is either valid or void.

This belief in the necessity of having an intention for every deed, and the obligation to make the intention proper, is based on Allah's Words (which mean): "And they were not commanded except to worship Allah (being) sincere to Him in religion, inclining to truth, and to establish prayer and to give zakah (poor due). And that is the correct religion."[Quran 98:5]

Moreover Allah Said (what means): "Say (O Muhammad): 'Indeed, I have been commanded to worship Allah (being) sincere to Him in religion.'" [Quran 39:11]

This belief is also based on the words of Allah's Messenger  : "Verily, all actions are but driven by intention and for everyone is what he intended."[Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

Allah's Messenger  also said: "Certainly, Allah does not look at your shapes (appearance) or wealth. But He only looks at your hearts and deeds."[Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

 


The one who has a sincere intention is rewarded for a good deed and the one who has an evil intention will bear its burden, just like the one who did a sinful deed. All of that is due to intention alone.

At the Battle of Tabook, Allah's Messenger  said: "There are people concerning whom you do not travel any distance, nor do you spend anything, nor do you pass any valley but they are with you in that matter." The people said, "How is that?" He  said, "They have been restrained due to some excuse, but they are with us because of the good intention."[Al-Bukhari and Abu Daawood]

Sincere intention is what makes the non-combatant equal in reward to the combatant. It is what makes the non-Mujahid receive a reward like that of a Mujahid (one who fights for the sake of Allah).

Allah's Messenger  has also said: "If two Muslims meet each other with their swords, then both the killer and the killed will be in the Hell-fire." Someone said, "O Allah's Messenger, that is the case for the killer but why should that be the case for the killed?" He answered, "Because he wanted to kill his companion."[Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

All of the above emphasize what a Muslim believes concerning the seriousness of intention and its extreme importance. A Muslim should base all of his deeds upon a pious intention. He also strives his best not to perform any deed without an intention or with an impure intention. The intention is the soul of the deed and what determines its value. The deed is sound if the intention is sound and the deed is wicked if the intention is wicked. The one who performs deeds without good intention is doing so out of disdainful show and pretence.

Furthermore, a Muslim believes that intention is an essential component for the acceptance of deeds, and a condition for the validity of the deed. He also knows that the intention is not simply a statement of the tongue, "O Allah, I intended such and such…" nor is it simply a thought in the mind.

 Instead, it is the driving force in the heart towards performing a deed that is in accordance with a sound goal of bringing benefit or repelling harm, at present or in the future. The will also directs a person to perform a deed for the sake of Allah and to fulfill His Commands.

A Muslim, therefore, also believes that a permissible act may become an act of obedience, worthy of reward and recompense. At the same time, an act of worship, if it is done for the sake of other than Allah (void of a pious intention), then it becomes an act of disobedience worthy of punishment and burden. A Muslim also does not believe that an act of disobedience can be changed into an act of obedience simply due to a good intention.

For example, the one who backbites a person just to make another person feel better, has disobeyed Allah and has committed a sin. His "good intention" will not benefit him at all in consideration with Allah. Similarly, the one who builds a Mosque with money from prohibited sources will not be rewarded. One who attends singing and dancing parties or who purchases raffle tickets to support good purposes or for the sake of Jihad, is a sinner and will bear the burden of his sin, instead of being rewarded for what he has done.

Similarly, anyone who builds a dome over the grave of a pious person, slaughters an animal on his behalf or makes an oath on his behalf, all in the name of having love for pious people, is disobeying Allah and earning a sin for what he has done.

These previously mentioned deeds are sins, even if it was done with a pious intention. A deed is not transformed by a pious intention into an act of obedience unless it was something permissible in the Sharee'ah (Islamic law) in the first place. As for a forbidden act, it never becomes an act of obedience under any circumstances.

Finally, sincerity in intention is a matter between man and his Creator; nobody else can know the real intentions of people except Allah. A man who attains sincerity in intention does not consider whether others will praise, accuse or exalt or abase him, be aware of his deeds or not, or whether he will even gain reward or not in return for his deeds. He considers only the pleasure of Allah because Allah Says (what means): “…knows the secret and what is (even) more hidden.” [Quran 20:7]

Islam urged the preservation of sanctities with all their different social forms, including preserving the tongue from backbiting and tale bearing as well as preserving lives, properties, and honors. The Prophet  said:

O you people who believe with their tongues while faith has not entered their hearts, do not backbite the Muslims and do not pursue their faults. Whoever pursues the faults of his Muslim brother, Allah Almighty will pursue his faults. If Allah pursues his faults, He will expose him even if he would hide inside his house.

In the framework of securing a safe life for all Muslims, Islam prohibited entering houses before obtaining the permission of their owners. Allah Almighty says (what means): {O you who have believed, do not enter houses other than your own houses until you ascertain welcome and greet their inhabitants. That is best for you; perhaps you will be reminded. And if you do not find anyone therein, do not enter them until permission has been given you. And if it is said to you, "Go back," then go back; it is purer for you. And Allah Is Knowing of what you do.} [Quran 24: 27-28]

The Messenger of Allah  used to teach his noble companions  the way to seek permission and urge and order them to do it.

It is narrated on the authority of ‘Abdullah ibn Qays  that he said: "I heard the Messenger of Allah  saying: "If anyone of you seeks permission thrice and is not answered, he should return." [Ahmad, Abu Dawood and At-Tirmithi]

Moreover, the care of our upright Sharee‘ah about the sanctity of houses and preserving them reached to such an extent, that it stipulated among the Sunan and etiquettes of seeking permission, that the one who is doing so should not stand directly in front of the door of the house, but that he should rather stand on its side in order to avoid seeing anything that the residents of the house might dislike being seen. It is narrated that ‘Abdullah ibn Busr  said: "When the Prophet  visited a house, he would not stand directly in front of the door, but he would stand at one side until being granted permission." [Abu Dawood]

If one seeks to violate the sanctities of houses and deliberately looks inside them without the permission of their owners, Islam allows deterring him from this path. Abu Hurayrah  narrated that the Messenger of Allah  said: "If someone is peeping (looking secretly) into your house without your permission, and you throw a stone at him and cause his eye to gouge out, there will be no blame on you." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

Furthermore, Islam enjoined preserving sanctities in absence and imposed rights for the absent person like those of the present. It is narrated on the authority of Anas  that the Messenger of Allah  said: "If one supports his brother when he is absent, Allah Almighty will support him in the life of this world and the Hereafter." [Al-Bayhaqi]

We should not forget that Islam forbids harming the Muslim by insult, abuse, defamation, or cursing. ‘Abdullah ibn Mas‘ood  narrated that the Prophet  said: "Insulting a Muslim constitutes fusooq (evildoing) and fighting against him constitutes disbelief." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim] Thabit ibn Adh-Dhahhak  narrated that the Prophet  said: "Whoever curses a believer is as if he has killed him." [Al-Bukhari]

Finally, Islam also prohibits spying, forbids pursuing the faults of people, and makes this detestable to the believers. Rather, the noble approach of Islam reached such an extent that it orders the Muslim to conceal what he happens to see of the Muslims' shortcomings and to hide the secrets he knows about them so that the sanctities of people remain protected. It is narrated on the authority of Abu Hurayrah  that the Prophet  said: "Whoever conceals a slave in the life of this world, Allah Almighty will conceal him on the day of Judgment."

All praise is due to Allah Who revealed the illuminating verses and guides with them, those whom He wishes from the darkness to Light. I thank Him for His blessings. I testify that there is no deity worthy of worship save Him and that Muhammad r is His Servant and Messenger. O Allah! Bestow peace and blessings upon the Prophet, his household and companions and all those who follow them.

Dear Muslims! Fear Allah for the fear of Allah is your provision for the hereafter and a guarantee of good life in this world. You should be aware that Allah is Self-Sufficient Who needs nothing from His creatures. He benefits not from the obedience of the pious ones among you, nor does the disobedience of the sinful ones hurt Him. He says:

  “Whosoever does a good deed, it is for his ownself, and whosoever does evil, it is against (his ownself). Then to your Lord you will be made to return.”

(Al-Jaathiyah 45:15).

Since man is created for the worship of Allah, Allah has explained all types of worship for him in the Qur’aan and Sunnah so that he can move closer to Allah by doing all that Allah enjoins and abstain from all that He forbids. Allah says:

  “O you who believe! Bow down, and prostrate yourselves, and worship your Lord and do good that you may be successful”.

(Al-Hajj 22:77). 

He also says:

  “And whatsoever the Messenger gives you, take it and whatsoever he forbids you, abstain (from it).”

(Al-Hashr 59:7). 

The Prophet saws also said:

  “ “Whatever I forbid you, abstain from it and whatever I command you to do, do what you are able to therefrom; for, those before you destroyed not but for their incessant questions for their Prophets and their disagreement with them.”

(Al-Bukhari & Muslim). 

Worship is a way of seeking closeness to Allah through recommended acts with love, humility and total submission to Allah. He says:

  “And turn in repentance and in obedience with true Faith (Islamic Monotheism) to your Lord and submit to Him, (in Islam), before the torment comes upon you, then you will not be helped.”

(Az-Zumar 39:54). 

Brothers in Faith! Pleasure of Allah cannot be attained except through worshipping Him and abstaining from sins according to His Light. The Messenger of Allah saws said:

  “ “Whoever performs a deed upon which there is no command from us will have it rejected.”

(Muslim). 

The condition for accepting acts of worship is to be sincere in the act. It is sincerity that purifies a deed, increases it and makes it blessed. it is in fact, a trial that Allah test His servants with. He said:

Ibn Katheer said in his exegesis of the above verse:

  “(It is He) who has created death and life, that He may test you which of you is best in deed. And He is the All-Mighty The Off-Forgiving.”

(Al-Mulk 67:2).

He also said:

“Verily, We have made that which is on earth as an adornment for it, in order that We may test them (Mankind) as to which of them are best in deeds.”

(Al-Kahf 18:7).

  “Allah did not say “more in deeds” but says: “best in deeds”. A deed can not then become good except when it is done sincerely for the sake of Allah alone and in accordance with the path of the Prophet saws. Whenever a deed losses one of these two conditions it becomes null and void.” 

Allah has enjoined sincerity when carrying out acts of obedience to Him and when abstaining from forbidding things when He said:

  “And they were commanded not, but that should worship Allah, and worship none but Him alone (abstaining from ascribing partners to Him), and perform As-Salat (Iqamah-as-salat) and give Zakat; and that is the right religion.”

(Al-Bayyinah 98:5). 

He also says:

  “So worship Allah (alone) by doing religious deeds sincerely for Allah’s sake only, (and not to show-off and not to set up rivals with Him in worship). Surely, the religion (i.e. the worship and the obedience) is for Allah only.”

(Az-Zumar 39:2-3). 

Umar Ibn Al-Khattaab ra said: I heard the Prophet saws saying:

  “ “The reward of deeds depends upon the intentions and every person will get the reward according to what he has intended. So whoever emigrated for worldly benefits or for a woman to marry, his emigration was for what he emigrated for”.

(Al-Bukhari & Muslim).

The meaning of sincerity is to purify one’s intention and deeds from all things that can render it void like showing-off and innovations. Actions can have same form and shape but may differ in reality according to the truthful intention and sincerity and bad intention and insincerity. The one who is sincere in his actions will be among the nearest ones to the pleasure of Allah and the insincere one will be among the accursed and punished ones. Allah describes those who are sincere in their intentions and deeds and mentioned their rewards when He says:

  “But the Messenger and those who believed with him (in Islamic Monotheism) strove hard and Fought with their wealth and their lives (in Allah’s cause). Such are they for whom are the good things, and it is they who will be successful.”

(Al-Tawbah 9:88). 

As for those who are insincere He says:

  “Verily, the hypocrites will be in the lowest depth (grade) of the Fire; no helper will you find for them.”

(An-Nisaa 4:145). 

To further underline the importance of sincerity and the gravity of hypocrisy, Allah categorized those who do good to two groups. One will be in Paradise and the other will be in Hell. As for those who will be in Paradise, they are the ones who carry out their deeds in sincerity to Allah and the second group that will be in the Hell are those who show-off. The following Hadeeths give a vivid illustration of the importance of sincerity. The Messenger of Allah saws said:

  “ “Benefits of this world are for four men only. A servant of Allah whom Allah favoured with wealth and knowledge. He fears Allah, does good to his kin and recognizes Allah’s rights in that wealth; this servant is of the best rank. The second one is a servants whom Allah favours with knowledge and does not give him wealth but he is sincere and says: ‘If only I had money I would do like so and so’. He and the first person will be equal in terms of reward because of his good intention. The third one is a servant whom Allah blessed with wealth without knowledge, spends his wealth uselessly, does not fear his Lord, nor do good to his kin and neither recognizes Allah’s rights in that wealth. This one is of the worst rank. The fourth one is a servant whom Allah neither blessed with wealth nor knowledge and he says that: If only I had wealth, I would do like so and so; he and the third person will be equal in sin because of his mischievous intention.”

(Al-Tirmidhee). 

The Messenger of Allah saws also said:

  “ “The first person to be judged on the day of Resurrection are: a man who was martyred; he will be brought to the presence of Allah, Allah will let him know his favour on him and he will know it, Allah will then ask him as to how he used the favour. He will reply that he fought in the cause of Allah until he was martyred. Allah will then say: ‘You have lied. You only fought so that people might say: He is brave and it has been said’. Then Allah will command that he be dragged on his face and thrown into Hell. Then a man who learnt knowledge and taught it and read the Qur’aan will be brought forward. Allah will tell him -after making him recognize His favour on him-: ‘What have you done with it?’ He will say: ‘I learnt knowledge and I read the Qur’aan for Your sake’. Allah will say: ‘You have lied. You only learnt knowledge that it may be said: He is ‘Aalim and you read the Qur’aan, so that it may be said: He is Qaaree and it has been said’. He will then be ordered to be dragged on his face into Hell. Then a man whom Allah enriched with different kinds of properties will be brought forth. Allah will make him recognize His favour on him and when he recognizes it, Allah will ask him: ‘What have you done on it?’ He will answer: ‘I have not left a cause in which You like that a spending be made except that I have spent in it for Your sake’. Allah will then tell him: ‘You have lied. You only spent so that it may be said: He is generous and it has been said’. He would then be commanded to be dragged on his face and thrown into the Hell.”

(Muslim). 

Abu Hurayrah ra narrated that he said: 

“ “O Messenger of Allah! Who will be the luckiest person to win your intercession? He replied: He who says: “Laa ilaaha illa Allah” [There is no deity worthy of worship save Allah]’ from his heart with sincerity.”

(Al-Bukhari). 

Dear brethren! If we continue quoting evidences on the importance of sincerity it will be exhaustive. Therefore let us be among the sincere ones for, they are those who enjoin the protection of Allah and His immunity. They are immunized from tricks and insinuations of Satan and they are really His prosperous party. Allah says of Satan:

  “He (Satan) said: “O my Lord! Because You misled me, I shall indeed adorn the path of error for them (Mankind) on the earth, and I shall misled them all. Except them You chosen, (guided) slaves among them.”

(Al-Hijr 15:39). 

Further, the major requisite for accepting one’s repentance is the actualization of sincerity in deeds. Allah says:

  “Except those who repent and do righteous good deeds, hold fast to Allah, and purify their religion for Allah (by worshiping none but Allah, and do good for Allah’s sake only, not to show-off), then they will be with the believers. And Allah will grant to the believers a great reward.”

(An-Nisaa 4:146). 

‘Umar Ibn Al-Khattaab ra wrote a letter to Abu Moosa Al-‘Ash’aree ra in which he said:

  “Whoever gets his intention purified, Allah will suffice him in whatever is between him and people.”.


‘Alee ra said:


  “Do not be concerned with smallness of deed; rather be concerned with the acceptance of that deed.”


One of the devotees said:


  “Indeed there are some servants of Allah who understand. They acted upon that understanding and they were sincere in their acts; then their sincerity summoned them to all the gates of good.” 


Dear Muslims! Hold fast to this great pillar and seek with your deeds the pleasure of Allah and the everlasting abode of hereafter. Purify your intentions and motives for Allah Alone and seek nearness to him only with acts that were done and recommended by your Messenger saws. Allah says:

  “Whoever hopes for the meeting with his Lord, let him work righteousness and associate none as a partner in the worship of his Lord.”

(Al-Kahf 18:110).