Islam as the religion which brings peace and blessing has persuaded us to promote sincerity. Sincerity or might be called ikhlaas is the state of being wholehearted to do, say, and commit deeds for the sake of Allah. It obligates you not to seek for praise from others and show off. Ikhlaas is also the main fundamental aspect of our teaching. Realizing about that, now we are going to pinpoint some of the importance of sincerity in Islam.
Allah has stated in the Qur’an (51:56) that he created human to worship him. It is written in the ayah below:
وَمَا خَلَقْتُ الْجِنَّ وَالْإِنسَ إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُونِ
I have only created Jinns and men, that they may worship Me. (Qur’an, 51:56)
We as his greatest creations should realize how important it is worshiping him as the act of our gratitude. However, worshiping Allah as the act of devoutness can’t be done carelessly. The acceptable deeds gained when we do worship him sincerely for the sake of Allah. Because when we do that as the form of pleasing others, it has no spiritual benefit. So, it is important to concern more on the intention. Read more about The Importance of Prayer in Islam
وَمَا أُمِرُوا إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ الدِّينَ حُنَفَاء وَيُقِيمُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَيُؤْتُوا الزَّكَاةَ وَذَلِكَ دِينُ الْقَيِّمَةِ
And they have been commanded no more than this: To worship Allah, offering Him sincere devotion, being true (in faith); to establish regular prayer; and to practice regular charity; and that is the Religion Right and Straight. (Qur’an, 98:5)
2. Intention is Very Important
Our Prophet (peace and blessing of Allah may be upon him) has several time mentioned the importance of intention while committing religious devoutness. However, if the intention doesn’t have any sincerity for Allah, then it will be wasted. The hadith below said:
“Verily deeds are reckoned according to the intention, and every person shall get that which he has intended” (Bukhari)
In addition, it’s also mentioned that intention plays a special role in the acceptance of our deeds besides taqwa and correctness.
“A deed is not sound except by three things; taqwa, good intention, and correctness.” (Ib’n Aj’laan)
3. Sincerity Challenges Your Faith
Actually it is very difficult to be sincere. No matter how understanding we are, sometimes it is difficult to be wholehearted helping or forgiving other people. It is so common to fool ourselves, trying to let go things that bother us. It is also difficult to believe in sincerity. Sincerity may demand suffer, but we must put our faith on believing that it only test you to grow better and better as a person and believer of Allah. Read more about 6 Pillars of Iman and 6 Pillars of Islam
وَلَقَدْ فَتَنَّا الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ فَلَيَعْلَمَنَّ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ صَدَقُوا وَلَيَعْلَمَنَّ الْكَاذِبِينَ
“We did test those before them, and Allah will certainly know those who are true from those who are false.” (Qur’an, 29:3)
[AdSense-B]
4. Avoiding Disappointment is Good
Sincerity enlightens our soul. It prevents us from being disappointed. Imagine, when we do something and put our tremendous effort for other than Allah, like human-beings for example. The probability of them to disappoint us is high because they are just temporal creatures. It is different from doing something because of Allah. Allah himself love all his creature and promised not to disappoint them. None of people in this world have such a great ability to pay back our devoutness except Allah.
5. Don’t Perform Ri’yaa
Ri’yaa is the act of showing off and it is actually detested by Allah. Performing some showiness while we commit doing deeds might cause you be spiritually worthless. No matter what, we are obligated to do anything for the sake of Allah.
[AdSense-A]
6. Don’t Seek Other Benefit
Seeking no benefit while we commit doing deeds means that we need to avoid looking for something beneficial at the same time. To make it easier to understand, here is the example. The person who commits doing jihad and seek for the spoils of war as well will have his action accepted by Allah, but not getting a full spiritual reward. Our Prophet (peace and blessing of Allah may be upon him)once said:
“When combatants partake in the spoils of war, they have appropriated two-thirds of their reward, but when they do not take any of the spoils of war, their reward (with Allah) is complete.” (Muslim)
7. You Shall Meet Allah
Another thing you must know about the importance of sincerity in Islam is the chance of us meeting Allah in heaven. Allah says in the Ayah below:
فَمَن كَانَ يَرْجُو لِقَاء رَبِّهِ فَلْيَعْمَلْ عَمَلًا صَالِحًا وَلَا يُشْرِكْ بِعِبَادَةِ رَبِّهِ أَحَدًا
“Whoever expects to meet his Lord, let him work righteousness, and, in the worship of his Lord, admit no one as partner.” (Qur’an, 18:110)
Read more: How to be Closer to Allah SWT
8. Let’s Protect Ourselves From Satans
Satans will not cease tempting us till the end of time. Therefore, we need to protects our deeds from being spoiled by them. In order to cease them doing so, we need to wholeheartedly put our sincerity in faith and action. The Ayah below told us:
“O my Sustainer! Since Thou hast thwarted me, I shall indeed make [all that is evil] on earth seem goodly to them, and shall most certainly beguile them-into grievous error. [all] save such of them as are truly Thy sincere servants” (Qur’an, 15:39-40)
9. Sincerity Forgives Your Sins
Sincerity forgives your sins because it completes your deeds and prayers (read more: benefits of asr prayer). The Qur’an promises forgiveness for those who commit to do anything sincerely in the ayah below:
“Say: O my Servants who have transgressed against their souls! Despair not of the Mercy of Allah: for Allah forgives all sins: for He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” (Qur’an, 39:53)
10. Sincerity Completes Our Faith
Our Prophet (peace and blessing of Allah may be upon him) said that sincerity completed our faith. It is written in the hadith below:
“Whoever loves for Allah, hates for Allah, gave for Allah and forbade for Allah, then he completed his faith.” (Abu Dawud and At-Termithi)
[AdSense-C]
Besides those 10 points about the importance of sincerity above, there are still some that will be mentioned regarding to the importance itself. Here they are:
See also: dua for hardship in Islam
There are at least 15 importance of sincerity in Islam that we can treasure in our life. Don’t forget to always follow the teaching of islam and implement it in our life. May peace and blessing of Allah may be upon us as always!
Have you ever wondered about prayer when a disaster occurs? Most Muslims believe if a…
Have you ever had heartache? When heartache attacks someone, some of them might need a…
Have you ever heard about the prayers for the healing of sick people? Most Muslims…
Have you ever heard about the prayer to avoid the disease ‘Ain? Disease ‘Ain is…
Have you been struggling to fight dirty thoughts in your mind? Most Muslims know that…
Have you ever heard about the slander of the Dajjal? The slander of the Dajjal…