The simplest definition of al-Ikhlaas (sincerity):

بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

`Ataa Ibn al-Saa’ib said: It has reached me that `Alee Ibn Abu Taalib رضي الله عنه said:

❝Righteous deeds are those for which you do not seek praises for yourself but for Allaah (alone).❞

[Ibn Abee al-Dunya in “al-Ikhlaas wal-Niyyah (5)]

۞۞۝۞۞

[TN: In today’s terms, it would also include: “the number of followers / likes / hits / counts” etc. These things should not bother us or be our main concern. Our aim should be to seek Allaah’s pleasure. We should bring ourselves to account; if our posts are motivated by the number of “likes”, then we have failed in our aim.]

Good intentions do not justify the means

بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

Allaah تعالى says:

﴿وَالَّذِينَ اتَّخَذُوا مِن دُونِهِ أَوْلِيَاءَ مَا نَعْبُدُهُمْ إِلَّا لِيُقَرِّبُونَا إِلَى اللَّـهِ زُلْفَىٰ﴾

{And those who take Auliyaa' (protectors and helpers) besides Him (say): “We worship them only that they may bring us nearer to Allaah.”}

[Surah al-Zumar (39): 3]

Shaikh Saaleh al-Fawzaan حفظه الله said:

“They did not intend Shirk, nor was it their aim. They only thought that by this they are fulfilling acts of worship and as a means of getting closer to Allaah سبحانه وتعالى. See how Shaitaan approaches the children of Aadam (to mislead them), and how the Shayaateen from amongst the men approach the children of Aadam and beautify for them this matter. 

The intention of the Imaam is different from that of the followers

The intention of the Imaam is different from that of the followers. Everyone has to make the intention for the prayer he is about to pray. The place of intention is the heart.

بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

1) Praying optional (Nafil) prayer behind the one who is praying the obligatory (Fardh) prayer:

a)

Abu Sa`eed al-Khudree رضي الله عنه narrated: A man came when Allaah’s Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم had already prayed, so he صلى الله عليه وسلم said: “Which of you will give some reward to this person?” So a man stood to pray with him. [Sunan al-Tirmidhee (220) and the wordings are his; and Sunan Abu Dawood (574) with the wordings: “Is there not a person who will give him charity by praying with him?”; and graded as “Saheeh” by Shaikh al-Albaanee]

Explanation of the Hadeeth: Reward depends upon the Intention

بـسـم الله والحـمـد لله والـصلاة والـسـلام عــلى رسـول الله، وبـعـد

All praises be to Allaah; we praise Him, and seek His help and forgiveness. We seek refuge in Allaah from the evil of our own selves, and the evil consequences of our deeds. Whosoever Allaah guides, no one can misguide him. And whomsoever Allaah misguides, no one can guide him. We bear witness that no one has the right to be worshipped except Allaah, and we bear witness that Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم is the Slave and Messenger of Allaah.

May peace and blessings of Allaah be upon His last and final Messenger, upon his family and companions, and upon those who follow them with righteousness till the Day of Judgment!

 

Verily, the best speech is the Book of Allaah (Qur’aan). The best guidance is the guidance of Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم. The most evil of matters is innovation, and every innovation is a heresy, and every heresy is misguidance and every misguidance is in Hell.

This is the translation of Shaikh Muhammad Ibn Saaleh al-`Uthaymeen’s رحمه الله explanation of the very first Hadeeth from al-Arba`een al-Nawaweeyah (Forty Ahaadeeth al-Nawawee): “Rewards of Deeds depend upon the intention”. The purpose here is to help the English speaking readers to benefit from the explanation of the esteemed Shaikh رحمه الله in understanding the meaning of this Hadeeth. We would like to note that the translation was made as close as possible to the meaning of the original text and not always done verbatim as a translation of that sort loses its essence in some cases. Further, the footnotes are the words of the translator to help the reader better understand the points being made.

To download the file: Explanation: Reward depends upon intention

Link 2:  Explanation: Reward depends upon intention

Link 3: Explanation - Reward depends upon intention

Explanation of the Hadeeth: Reward depends upon intention;

Baarak Allaahu feekum Wa Sal-Allaahu `alan-Nabiy.

Removing the Doubts: Can we judge someone’s intention?

بـسـم الله والحـمـد لله والـصلاة والـسـلام عــلى رسـول الله، وبـعـد

It is sometimes observed that when a person makes a mistake and another one comes up to correct him, a third person would be found saying: “Who are you to judge him? Only Allaah knows his intention” (or something similar).

Yes, we cannot judge someone based on his intention, as has been clarified in this Hadeeth:

Ikhlaas and that which causes deficiencies in it

بـسـم الله والحـمـد لله والـصلاة والـسـلام عــلى رسـول الله، وبـعـد

To achieve Ikhlaas (sincerity and purity of intention - to be truthful and honest to Allaah alone, performing an act solely for Allaah’s sake whereby nothing is sought except Allaah’s Countenance and His pleasure), we have to avoid all forms of Shirk (associating others with Allaah, which causes insincerity). And from the root cause for insincerity (or shirk) is self-desire (al-Hawa). Therefore no  action should be done because of self-desire. 

There are 6 types of self-desires which opposes Ikhlaas:

i. To make oneself appear good in the hearts of others.

ii. To seek the praises of others.

iii. To avoid being blamed by others.

iv. To seek the glorification of others.

v. To seek the wealth/money of others.

vi. To seek the services or love of others.

The Purpose of Intention

بـسـم الله والحـمـد لله والـصلاة والـسـلام عــلى رسـول الله، وبـعـد

What is the purpose of intention (Niyyah)?

The purpose of intention is to:

1. Distinguish for whom it is being done.

2. And to distinguish between the various actions.

The conditions for the deeds to be accepted

Revised on June 17th, 2014

بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

The conditions for the deeds to be accepted:

1. Sincerity of intention: That it should not be done for anyone other than Allaah, neither for seeking the praise from the creation nor for some worldly benefits. Whoever intends with it other than Allaah’s pleasure has committed shirk.

﴿وَمَا أُمِرُوا إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُوا اللَّـهَ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ الدِّينَ حُنَفَاءَ وَيُقِيمُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَيُؤْتُوا الزَّكَاةَ ۚ وَذَٰلِكَ دِينُ الْقَيِّمَةِ﴾

{And they were commanded not, but that they should worship Allaah, and worship none but Him Alone, and perform As-Salaah and give Zakaah: and that is the right religion.} [Surah al-Bayyinah (98): 5]

Brief Comments on Riyaadh al-Saaliheen #9

Intention

بـسـم الله والحـمـد لله والـصلاة والـسـلام عــلى رسـول الله، وبـعـد

In his commentary on Riyaadh al-Saliheen, Shaikh al-`Uthaymeen رحمه الله said:

“((Intention)): The place of intention is the heart, and there is no place for it on the tongue in all types of (good) deeds. And that is why anyone who articulates the intention at the time of prayer, or fasting, or Hajj or ablution or other than that, is an innovator, who is speaking about the Deen of Allaah that which is not from it; because the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم used to make ablution, pray, give charity, fast, perform Hajj but he never articulated the intention. He never said: “O Allaah! I intend to pray”, “O Allaah! I intend to perform the prayer”, “O Allaah! I intend to give charity”, “O Allaah! I intend to perform Hajj”, he never said this; and that is because the place of intention is the heart. And Allaah تعالى knows what is in the heart and nothing is hidden from Him, as Allaah تعالى said:

{قُلْ إِنْ تُخْفُوا مَا فِي صُدُورِكُمْ أَوْ تُبْدُوهُ يَعْلَمْهُ اللَّهُ} آل عمران: الآية29

{Say: “Whether you hide what is in your breasts or reveal it, Allaah knows it…} [Surah aal-`Imraan (3): 29]

And it is obligatory upon a person to make his intentions sincerely for Allaah سبحانه وتعالى alone in all types of `Ibaadah, and that he should not intend with his `ibaadah except the Face of Allaah (and His pleasure) and the final abode (the Paradise).”

*******

Bragging Rights!

بـسـم الله والصـلاة والســلام علـى رســول الله ، وبعــد

It is Shirk to perform a righteous deed for worldly reasons:

The reward for the action/deed is lost once a person intends with it the praises of the people instead of the pleasure of Allaah. We should take heed of these warnings and contemplate before we speak because many people tend to do this unknowingly. The intention might not necessarily be wrong in the beginning, but later the habit of bragging sets in. So, before/after doing a righteous deed (like: `Umrah, Hajj, Sadaqah etc) the person makes it public and updates the status on his social network as: