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Allaah Ya raba mu da riya' Ya kuma azurta mu da ikhlasi
Thread: An-Niyyah (intention) and ikhlas (sincerity) in perspective
I begin with the Name of Allaah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful.
It is obligatory upon the Muslim to be desirous of acquiring knowledge of the truth, arriving upon it and acting in accordance to it.
One of the most difficult things if not the most difficult, is a man’s striving to attain Ikhlas in all that he does. This concept of ikhlas is what differentiates the true believers and the hypocrites and even the polytheists.
An-Niyyah refers to the different objectives desired in the performance of the deed. We ask ourselves, was the action we performed in the name of ‘ibadah (worship) for Allaah Alone, without an associate, or was it performed partially for Allaah&partially for other than Allaah?
What is the incentive and the motive behind the performance of the action?
Was there a purpose from the objectives of this Dunya such as the love of praise from the people, or a fear of their dispraise? Or the procurement of the desirable (aspects) from this world? Or a means of averting the undesirable aspects of this world?
Or was the incentive in the performance of the deed - to establish servitude (for Allaah) in truth, yearning for endearment and proximity towards Him, Glory be to Him, the Most High, desiring a path towards Him?
To this I quote my favorite verse that aptly illustrates this: “As for those who strive hard in Us (Our Cause), We will surely guide them to Our Paths (Islamic Monotheism). And verily, Allaah is with the Muhsinun (good doers).” Qur’an 29:69
Brothers and sisters in Islam, it is not how much we have done, it is how sincere we are in what we have done.
We pray, offer Tahajjud, read the Qur’an, teach it, give charity, we do a lot of apparent good deeds but the jaw-breaking is question is whether we have good intention and are sincere and whether our deeds are consistent with the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace be upon him)?
Allaah the Exalted says; “He May test which one of you is best in deed.” Qur’an 68:2
Fudayl bin ‘Iyaad explained the above verse saying; “Indeed the deed shall not be accepted: if it was (performed) sincerely, but was not correct. (In addition), the deed shall not be accepted: if it was correct but not performed sincerely.
It is deemed sincere if it is for the sake of Allaah the Exalted, the Majestic.
It is deemed correct if it is in accordance with the Sunnah.” Narrated by Abu Nu’aim in Hilya al-Awliyaa 95/7) also in the Tafseer of Imam al-Baghawee
