Importance of Ikhlaas Sincerity
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Allama Nawawi R.A and other great scholars that three Ahadith form the basis of Deen. The first is,
إنما الأعمال بالنيات وإنما لكل امريء ما نوى فمن كانت هجرته إلى الله ورسوله فهجرته إلى الله ورسوله ومن كانت هجرته إلى دنيا يصيبها أو امرأة يتزوجها فهجرته إلى ما هاجر إليه حديث الأعمال بالنيات متفق عليه من حديث عمر بن الخطاب
All deeds will be judged according to the intentions, every person will be rewarded according to his intention, whosoever had migrated for the pleasure of Allah and his Rasul Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam then such a person will receive the reward of migrating towards Allah and His Rasul Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam whosoever had migrated to obtain material possessions then such a person will be rewarded accordingly. Bukhari / Muslim.
The second hadith is,
من حسن اسلام المرء تركه ما لا يعنيه
It is from amongst the beauty of a person’s Islam that he abandons things that do not concern him
The third Hadith is,
الا ان فى الجسد لمضغة اذا صلحت صلح الجسد كله واذا فسدت فسد الجسد كله الا وهى القلب
Be-aware verily in the body is a piece of flesh, If it (the piece of flesh) is correct the entire body will be correct, and if this piece of flesh is corrupt the entire body will be corrupt, listen! This is the heart.
A Dua taught to us by Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam
Imaam Bukhari R.A had started his Sahih Bukhari with the hadith of sincerity due to the importance of sincerity. Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam is reported to have said, “If a pitch black ant moves on a pitch black night on a pitch black rock, nobody will be able to see it and hear it. Stealthier than that ostentation enters into a person yet he is totally unaware of it.” Hadrat Abu Bakr R.A immediately said, O Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam, in that case we will all be destroyed. Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam taught Sahaaba a Dua to recite by which they will be protected,
اللهم انى اعوذبك ان اشرك بك شيئا وانا اعلم واستغفرك لما لا اعلم
Oh Allah! I seek refuge in You from ascribing any partners to You knowingly, and I seek Your forgiveness from that which I am unaware of.
The person that recites the above Dua daily will be protected from ostentation and will become 100% sincere Insha’Allah.
Hadrat Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanvi R.A has taken a Qasm and mentioned that Ikhlaas can only be obtained by spending time in the company of the Ahlullah (friends of Allah).
Our Sheikh Daamat Barakaatuhum says, “How important isn’t this for those individuals that serve Deen throughout their lives, yet they are victims of ostentation?”
Canal of Zubeida
Zubeida was the wife of the mighty king Haroun-Ar-Rasheed. After her demise someone had seen her in a dream and asked her how did it fare? She replied that Allah c had blessed her with various bounties. She was then asked, “Were you blessed with these bounties due to the social work you had offered?” Zubeidah had got a canal built from Baghdad to Makkah which provided fresh water for the Hujjaj, and this was built at such a time when fresh water was not available in Makkah Sharif. She replied, “NO! It was on account of certain intentions that I had in my heart which nobody was aware of.”
Imaam Shafi R.A mentions that every person should have some intentions which should not be exposed to others at all, to such an extent that one should not even inform his wife. These intentions will be of tremendous benefit to a person on the day of Qiyamah.
Hadrat Ibrahim Alaihis Salaam
Hadrat Ibrahim Alaihis Salaam had spoken an apparent lie thrice which is termed as Tawriyah in Shariah. (i.e. When a person’s life is in danger or one fears oppression, in order to protect oneself one is permitted to utter such a statement whereby he intends something but the listener understands otherwise, by which one is protected). Ibrahim Alaihis Salaam had experienced such scenarios thrice in his lifetime and Ibrahim Alaihis Salaam acted upon Tawriyah. However, two incidents have been recorded in the Quraan Sharif.
The one incident that has been recorded pertain to the occasion when Ibrahim u was asked, “Who has done this (i.e. broke) our idols, O Ibrahim?” He replied, “The large one from amongst them has done it, Ask them if they have the ability to speak.”
The second incident mentioned in the Quraan is when Ibrahim A.S said, Verily I am sick and did not attend the festival that was being celebrated.
The third incident has not been recorded in the Quraan Sharif. Ibrahim A.S. was questioned by an oppressive king, “Who is this woman with you?” If she was someone’s wife, the king will take possession of her and get involved in evil with her. So Ibrahim u replied, “This is my sister.” Why isn’t the third instance recorded in the Quraan? As Ibrahim Alaihis Salaaam had some personal gain and benefit in the lie, thus it was left out. Allah c only accepts that which is purely done for the pleasure of Allah Ta'aala..
Niyyat of a believer is better than his Amal
نية المؤمن خير من عمله
The niyyat of a believer is better than his action.
When the Bani Israeel were affected with droughts, a person amongst the Bani Israeel made a niyyat that if a certain mountain was turned to wheat he would have distributed it to all the needy people. On this Allah Ta'ala informed the Nabi of the time to go and inform this person that according to his niyyat Allah Ta'ala has rewarded him. How do we know whether a person is true in his niyyat or not? A person that carries out that which is within his reach indicates towards his sincerity. For example, a person is earning R5000 he cannot give R50,0000, but he can give R5 or R50 in charity.
Moulana In'aamul Hassan Saheb R.A said that a person should make niyyat in the morning when he gets up that he will not make kufr, shirk, nifaaq (hypocrisy), bid'aat (innovations), drink liquor, back bite, cast evil glances, commit adultery, gamble, etc. On this intention he will get the reward of abstaining from all these acts that are haraam. If he does not make the intention and does not commit all this, he will not get sin nor any reward. But, by making an intention he will get all this reward! Similarly we should make niyyat that we will fulfill all Allah Ta'ala’s commands, stay on Imaan and Islam, have sincerity, remain humble, perform 5 times Salaah, with jamaat, etc. By making such intentions, one will get all this reward!
Moulana Qamaruz Zaman Saheb of Ilahabaad says that when a person becomes old, he becomes physically weak, he cannot do all those actions which he use to do when he was young, so now take work of niyyat. Niyyat is easy to make and great rewards will be attained.
Moulana Muhammad Ilyaas Saheb R.A once asked his son Moulana Yusuf Saheb R.A, what niyyat did you make when delivering the khutba? He replied, “The niyyat that it is sunnat.” Moulana said, “Had you made the niyyat that Allah Ta'ala must convey this message to all the people of the world you should have got so much thawaab.”
May Allah Ta'ala give us the Taufeeq to check and correct our intention at all times! Ameen.
By Hadrat Maulana Abdul Hamid Saheb Daamat Barakaatuhum