The Conditions for the Acceptance of Worship, Which Are Two: First: Sincerity to Allah in Worship and Abandoning Shirk and Showing Off, with Evidence
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The Shaykh : It is not possible for worship to be realized and to be accepted by Allah except with two conditions that were mentioned in the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him and his family). The first is sincerity, and the second is following [the Prophet].
Sincerity to Allah (Mighty and Majestic) means that you do not intend by your worship any fame, leadership, or praise from people, but rather you seek only the Face of Allah. Allah the Exalted said:[Ar-Ra'd 13:22] seeking the Face of Allah. You do not seek anything but the Face of Allah (Mighty and Majestic). And He (Mighty and Majestic) said: [Al-Isra 17:57] So whoever associates anyone with Allah, his worship is invalid; it does not benefit him and is not accepted from him. The evidence for this is the saying of Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He): Complete it, stand up, yes, please, yes, let him work, and not, [Al-Kahf 18:110] Good, may Allah guide you to the right path. [Al-Kahf 18:110] After that, [Al-Kahf 18:110] This is in the Qur'an, and in the Holy Hadith, Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He) said: Sahih Muslim 2985 Sahih Muslim 2985 The partners, each one is in need of his partner. Do you see, if there were a house between you and so-and-so, is it possible for you to sell the entire house without the partner's permission? Answer, everyone.
The student: No.
The Shaykh : No. Is it possible for you to build something in it without the partner's permission? No. But Allah (Mighty and Majestic) is the richest of the partners with regard to shirk. He (Mighty and Majestic) says at the end of the hadith:Sahih Muslim 2985 Why? Because Allah, what is He? Rich beyond all the worlds. Allah the Exalted said: [Ali 'Imran 3:97] And He (Mighty and Majestic) said: [Az-Zumar 39:7] And in the Holy Hadith: Sahih Muslim 2577a Allah is rich.
So, any worship in which a person associates others with Allah is
The student: invalid.
The Shaykh : Invalid, rejected or accepted? Rejected. It does not benefit its owner, even if his limbs are doing the best possible; it is not accepted. What do you say about showing off? If a person sees the people around him and stands up to pray in order for people to say, "This is a worshipper," is his prayer accepted? It is not accepted. Why? He associated others with Allah. He prayed out of showing off so that people would praise him, not so that Allah would reward him. - Rest - Not so that Allah would reward him. He spent in jihad so that people would say, "The man is generous." What do you say? Is this spending accepted or not accepted? It is not accepted. Why? He lost sincerity. He did not make it sincere. It is as if he worked for the people. He fought out of bravery and zeal for his tribe. Do we say this man's jihad is accepted or not accepted? Answer, our brothers.
The student: It is not accepted.
The Shaykh : It is not accepted, it is not accepted, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) So, sincerity is necessary.
Sincerity to Allah (Mighty and Majestic) means that you do not intend by your worship any fame, leadership, or praise from people, but rather you seek only the Face of Allah. Allah the Exalted said:
And those who are patient, seeking the countenance of their Lord, and establish prayer
والذين صبروا ابتغاء وجه ربهم وأقاموا الصلاةThose whom they invoke seek means of access to their Lord, [striving as to] which of them would be nearest, and they hope for His mercy and fear His punishment
أولئك الذين يدعون يبتغون إلى ربهم الوسيلة أيهم أقرب ويرجون رحمته ويخافون عذابهSo whoever hopes to meet his Lord
فمن كان يرجو لقاء ربهand not associate in the worship of his Lord anyone."
ولا يشرك بعبادة ربه أحداًSo whoever would hope for the meeting with his Lord - let him do righteous work
فمن كان يرجو لقاء ربه فليعمل عملاً صالحاًand not associate in the worship of his Lord anyone."
ولا يشرك بعبادة ربه أحداًI am the One, One Who does not stand in need of a partner
أنا أغنى الشركاء عن الشركI am the One, One Who does not stand in need of a partner
أنا أغنى الشركاء عن الشركThe student: No.
The Shaykh : No. Is it possible for you to build something in it without the partner's permission? No. But Allah (Mighty and Majestic) is the richest of the partners with regard to shirk. He (Mighty and Majestic) says at the end of the hadith:
If anyone does anything in which he associates anyone else with Me, I shall abandon him with one whom he associates with Allah.
من عمل عملاً أشرك فيه معي غيري تركتُه وشركهAnd [due] to Allah from the people is a pilgrimage to the House - for whoever is able to find thereto a way. But whoever disbelieves - then indeed, Allah is free from need of the worlds.
ولله على الناس حج البيت لمن استطاع إليه سبيلاً ومن كَفر فإن الله غني عن العالمينIf you disbelieve - indeed, Allah is Free from need of you
إن تكفروا فإن الله غني عنكمO My servants, you will not attain harming Me so as to harm Me, and will not attain benefitting Me so as to benefit Me.
يا عبادي إنكم لن تبلغوا ضري فتضروني ولن تبلغوا نفعي فتنفعونيSo, any worship in which a person associates others with Allah is
The student: invalid.
The Shaykh : Invalid, rejected or accepted? Rejected. It does not benefit its owner, even if his limbs are doing the best possible; it is not accepted. What do you say about showing off? If a person sees the people around him and stands up to pray in order for people to say, "This is a worshipper," is his prayer accepted? It is not accepted. Why? He associated others with Allah. He prayed out of showing off so that people would praise him, not so that Allah would reward him. - Rest - Not so that Allah would reward him. He spent in jihad so that people would say, "The man is generous." What do you say? Is this spending accepted or not accepted? It is not accepted. Why? He lost sincerity. He did not make it sincere. It is as if he worked for the people. He fought out of bravery and zeal for his tribe. Do we say this man's jihad is accepted or not accepted? Answer, our brothers.
The student: It is not accepted.
The Shaykh : It is not accepted, it is not accepted, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family)