Sincerity of Intention for Allah (Mighty and Majestic)
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And this is the most important of matters and the most difficult for the souls,until some of the Salaf said: [I have never struggled with anything as much as I have struggled with sincerity] because a person is prone to looking at many things: either fame, or closeness to people, or taking the lead, or many other worldly matters that scratch sincerity and compromise it.
So what is sincerity in calling to Allah (Mighty and Majestic)?Sincerity in calling to Allah (Mighty and Majestic): That the caller intends, above all else, that he is obeying the command of Allah, carrying out His command, and being obedient to Him;Because Allah commanded him to do so: [Surah al-Nahl: 125] And if he intends this intention, his calling becomes worship; he does not write a word without having a reward in it, he does not utter a letter without having a reward in it, he does not walk without having a reward, he does not sit without having a reward, he does not stand without having a reward, as long as he is in this great task of calling to Allah.
And contrary to that: That a person, in performing the role of a caller among people, wants to appear before them, that they revere him, that they honor him, and that they make him a leader; if this is the intention, it is a base intention, lower than the Islamic religion. The Islamic religion must be the intended goal, and the intended goal must not be personal benefit, for that is a great deficiency.
Second among the matters of sincerity: That a person intends, in calling to Allah (Mighty and Majestic), to establish the religion of Allah among the servants of Allah, because the religion is like the earth; the earth is capable of being planted, but it needs water. So calling to Allah is in the position of the water that descends upon the fertile earth capable of sprouting. Likewise, this revelation descends upon the hearts of men through this caller, so the religion is established and the community is set right. And this is a good purpose: that a person’s intention in calling to Allah is to establish the religion of Allah among the servants of Allah.
And related to sincerity as well: That he intends to reform the servants of Allah;Because three matters befall the servants: The first matter: the desires of the self.
And the second: Satan.
And the third: The environment and society.
And for this reason, it came in the hadith from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): (Every child is born on the fitrah: then his parents make him a Jew, or a Christian, or a Zoroastrian) because the environment has a great influence.
The desires of the self also, and Satan, so there must be a calling that helps the servants of Allah to fight the three enemies, which are: the self, Satan, and society. For this reason, you find a difference between a person who lives among upright people and another who lives among deviant people. So in calling to Allah, a person must intend to reform the servants of Allah.
So what is sincerity in calling to Allah (Mighty and Majestic)?Sincerity in calling to Allah (Mighty and Majestic): That the caller intends, above all else, that he is obeying the command of Allah, carrying out His command, and being obedient to Him;Because Allah commanded him to do so:
Invite to the way of your Lord with wisdom
ادْعُ إِلَى سَبِيلِ رَبِّكَ بِالْحِكْمَةِAnd contrary to that: That a person, in performing the role of a caller among people, wants to appear before them, that they revere him, that they honor him, and that they make him a leader; if this is the intention, it is a base intention, lower than the Islamic religion. The Islamic religion must be the intended goal, and the intended goal must not be personal benefit, for that is a great deficiency.
Second among the matters of sincerity: That a person intends, in calling to Allah (Mighty and Majestic), to establish the religion of Allah among the servants of Allah, because the religion is like the earth; the earth is capable of being planted, but it needs water. So calling to Allah is in the position of the water that descends upon the fertile earth capable of sprouting. Likewise, this revelation descends upon the hearts of men through this caller, so the religion is established and the community is set right. And this is a good purpose: that a person’s intention in calling to Allah is to establish the religion of Allah among the servants of Allah.
And related to sincerity as well: That he intends to reform the servants of Allah;Because three matters befall the servants: The first matter: the desires of the self.
And the second: Satan.
And the third: The environment and society.
And for this reason, it came in the hadith from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): (Every child is born on the fitrah: then his parents make him a Jew, or a Christian, or a Zoroastrian) because the environment has a great influence.
The desires of the self also, and Satan, so there must be a calling that helps the servants of Allah to fight the three enemies, which are: the self, Satan, and society. For this reason, you find a difference between a person who lives among upright people and another who lives among deviant people. So in calling to Allah, a person must intend to reform the servants of Allah.