Sincerity

One must perform all Ibaadah solely for the pleasure of Allah Ta'ala. One must not have any personal interest in doing so nor perform it for ostentation. Life is the most precious thing for a person. Even if he sacrifices his life, he will not deserve anything by Allah Ta'ala as long as he does not perform Ibaadah solely for the pleasure of Allah Ta'ala.

To do everything solely for the pleasure of Allah Ta'ala is called Ikhlaas or sincerity. There is no success without this by Allah Ta'ala. A sincere person is not keen in making people know whatever he does as Ibaadah in his house. On the contrary, he makes an effort to keep it a secret. A sincere person hides his merits and good deeds just as a person makes effort to hide his faults and sins. He keeps it secret between him and his Rabb. An action with such a state of mind is very valuable to Allah Ta'ala. This is what makes a Sadaqah of a handful of dates surpass a Sadaqah of a mountain of gold. One must be satisfied with the fact that Allah Ta'ala knows whatever one is doing for Him. As far as possible, one must not let people know. One must content oneself with the reward that Allah Ta'ala has reserved for one. The desire to make people know is an indication that one is looking for something other than the reward of Allah Ta'ala. And this represents an insult to the reward of Allah Ta'ala. It is like a person who was given millions by his father but he is extending his hand to get a cent and a penny. Or this is the similitude of a person who has precious stones but he is still running after rusty irons. Or it is similar to a person who has Zamzam water in his possession but he is still aspiring for the dirty water in the ditch. Lack of sincerity indicates lowliness of morality and character. Thus, this is very grave.

That is why one must not mix oneself and one's Nafs in something that one does for Allah Ta'ala. Otherwise, one may spend one's entire fortune, one can sacrifice one's entire life to propagate Deen until one gives one’s life also but this will not benefit one at all if one is not sincere. On the contrary, it is a burden and a heavy load that one will carry on one's back to go to one's Rabb.

[English version of "La sincérité" – Al Jamiat – Vol.6 No.2]