The Importance of Sincerity (الإخلاص) in Worship According to the Qur’an and Sunnah
✅ مقدمة:
“And they were not commanded except to worship Allah, [being] sincere to Him in religion...” (Al-Bayyina, 98:5).
This verse encapsulates the centrality of sincerity in Islamic worship. It highlights that the core objective of divine instruction is the purification of intention, where all acts of devotion are directed to Allah alone, without seeking praise, status, or worldly gain.
1. Definition and Concept of Ikhlāṣ in Islam
Linguistically, Ikhlāṣ (الإخلاص) comes from the root word خ ل ص, which means to purify or make something free from impurity. In the Islamic context, it refers to dedicating all acts of worship solely to Allah (SWT), without any element of riyāʼ (showing off) or seeking validation from creation (Al-Ghazali, 2004).
Imam al-Jurjani (d. 816H) defined it as:
“إخلاص العمل أن يكون لله تعالى لا نصيب فيه لغيره”(Purity of action is that it be entirely for Allah, with no portion for anyone else.)
2. Qur’anic Foundations for Ikhlāṣ
The Qur’an strongly emphasizes that all worship should be directed exclusively to Allah. This appears in several key verses:
2.1 Surah Az-Zumar:
أَلَا لِلَّهِ الدِّينُ الْخَالِصُ﴾ (الزمر: 3)﴿
“Unquestionably, for Allah is the pure religion.” (Az-Zumar, 39:3)
This verse asserts that the essence of religion is sincerity, not outward ritualism or cultural formalities.
2.2 Surah Al-Insān:
﴿إنَّمَا نُطْعِمُكُمْ لِوَجْهِ اللَّهِ لَا نُرِيدُ مِنكُمْ جَزَاءً وَلَا شُكُورًا﴾ (الإنسان: 9)
“We feed you only for the countenance of Allah. We wish not from you reward or gratitude.”
This verse beautifully illustrates the sincerity of the righteous, who expect no worldly compensation for their good deeds.
3. Hadiths on the Virtue of Ikhlāṣ
The Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ also lays great emphasis on sincerity:
3.1 Hadith al-Niyyah:
«إِنَّمَا الأَعْمَالُ بِالنِّيَّاتِ، وَإِنَّمَا لِكُلِّ امْرِئٍ مَا نَوَى»
“Actions are judged by intentions, and each person will have what they intended.”(al-Bukhari, 1; Muslim, 1907)
This hadith is considered the foundation of all Islamic action. Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali said:
“This hadith constitutes half of knowledge.” (Ibn Rajab, 1999)
3.2 Hadith al-Sabʿa:
«سَبْعَةٌ يُظِلُّهُمُ اللَّهُ فِي ظِلِّهِ... وَرَجُلٌ تَصَدَّقَ بِصَدَقَةٍ فَأَخْفَاهَا...»
“Seven people will be shaded by Allah on the Day of Judgment... among them, a man who gives charity and conceals it...” (al-Bukhari, 1423; Muslim, 1031)
This shows how hidden deeds done sincerely will have great rewards.
4. The Dangers of Lack of Sincerity (Riyāʼ and Sumʿa)
Insincerity, such as performing worship to show off (riyāʼ) or seeking fame (sumʿa), is a hidden form of shirk (associating others with Allah). The Prophet ﷺ warned:
4.1 Hadith on Minor Shirk:
“The thing I fear most for you is minor shirk.” They asked: “What is minor shirk?” He said: “Showing off.” (Ahmad, 23630; authenticated by al-Albani)
Imam al-Ghazali likened riyāʼ to “poison in honey” it destroys the reward while the deed appears sweet.
5. Statements of Classical Scholars
5.1 Imam Sufyan al-Thawri:
“ما عالجت شيئًا أشدّ عليّ من نيتي، إنها تتقلب عليّ”“I have never dealt with anything harder than my own intention—it keeps changing on me.” (Dhahabi, 2001)
5.2 Imam Ibn al-Qayyim:
“العمل بدون إخلاص ولا اقتداء كالمسافر يملأ جرابه رملاً يثقله ولا ينفعه”“A deed without sincerity and following (the Sunnah) is like a traveler carrying sand—it burdens him but gives no benefit.” (Ibn al-Qayyim, 2003)
6. Practical Ways to Cultivate Ikhlāṣ
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Constantly renew intentions before, during, and after acts.
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Hide good deeds where possible (e.g., secret charity).
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Make duʿāʼ asking Allah for sincerity:«اللَّهُمَّ اجْعَلْ عَمَلِي كُلَّهُ صَالِحًا، وَاجْعَلْهُ لِوَجْهِكَ خَالِصًا، وَلَا تَجْعَلْ فِيهِ لِأَحَدٍ غَيْرَكَ شَيْئًا»
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Avoid seeking validation on social media or from people.
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Reflect on the fleeting nature of fame and human praise.
7. The Rewards of Sincerity
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Even small sincere actions become great with Allah.
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A man was forgiven for giving water to a thirsty dog (Muslim, 2245).
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Another was entered into Hell for showing off in prayer (Ibn Majah, 4204).
✅ خاتمة
الإخلاص هو معيار القبول، وبدونه لا تنفع الأعمال. وقد أجمع العلماء على أن أول ما يجب على المسلم العناية به بعد تصحيح العقيدة، هو تصحيح النية.
قال الإمام ابن المبارك:
“رُبَّ عمل صغير تُعظمه النية، ورُبَّ عمل كبير تُصغره النية.”
📚 المراجع (References)
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Al-Ghazali, A. H. (2004). Iḥyāʾ ʿUlūm al-Dīn. Cairo: Dār al-Maʿārif.
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Al-Bukhari, M. I. (n.d.). Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī. Beirut: Dār Ibn Kathīr.
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Ibn al-Qayyim, M. (2003). al-Fawāʾid. Beirut: Dār al-Maʿrifa.
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Ibn Rajab al-Ḥanbalī. (1999). Jāmiʿ al-ʿUlūm wa al-Ḥikam. Riyadh: Dār al-Salām.
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Al-Muslim, I. (n.d.). Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim. Beirut: Dār al-Fikr.
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Al-Dhahabi, M. (2001). Siyar Aʿlām al-Nubalāʾ. Beirut: Muʾassasat al-Risālah.
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Ahmad ibn Ḥanbal. (n.d.). Musnad Aḥmad. Beirut: Mu’assasat al-Risālah.
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