Ikhlas — Sincerity in Worship

Ikhlas (sincerity) is the soul of every act of worship and the condition for its acceptance by Allah. Without ikhlas, even the grandest deed is worthless. The Quran commands: "And they were not commanded except to worship Allah, being sincere to Him in religion" (Quran 98:5). The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "Indeed, actions are judged by intentions, and every person will have only what they intended" (Sahih al-Bukhari). This foundational hadith, which Imam al-Bukhari placed as the very first hadith in his collection, establishes that the value of any deed depends entirely on the sincerity behind it.

What Sincerity Means

Ikhlas means performing acts of worship and good deeds purely for the sake of Allah, without seeking praise, recognition, reward, or status from people. It means the intention behind the deed is solely to please Allah and earn His reward. Al-Fudayl ibn Iyad explained that a deed must meet two conditions to be accepted: it must be sincere (for Allah alone) and it must be correct (in accordance with the Sunnah). A sincere but incorrect deed is rejected, and a correct but insincere deed is also rejected. Only what is both sincere and correct is accepted.

The Danger of Riya (Showing Off)

The opposite of ikhlas is riya (ostentation, showing off). The Prophet called riya "the minor shirk" and said: "The thing I fear most for you is the minor shirk." When asked what it was, he said: "Showing off. Allah will say on the Day of Judgment when people are being rewarded for their deeds: Go to those whom you used to show off to in the worldly life, and see if you find any reward with them" (Musnad Ahmad). The Quran describes the hypocrites: "When they stand for prayer, they stand lazily, showing off to the people and not remembering Allah except a little" (Quran 4:142). Even scholars, martyrs, and generous donors can be among the first thrown into the Fire if their deeds were tainted by riya, as described in the hadith of the three who will be dragged on their faces (Sahih Muslim).

Protecting Sincerity

The scholars advised several means to protect ikhlas. Conceal good deeds when possible: give charity secretly, pray voluntary prayers at home, avoid announcing one's fasting or worship. The Prophet said: "The most beloved prayer to Allah is in one's home, except the obligatory prayer" (Sahih al-Bukhari). Constantly renew the intention, especially before and during worship. Make dua for sincerity: the Prophet taught: "O Allah, I seek refuge with You from knowingly associating partners with You, and I ask Your forgiveness for what I do unknowingly" (Musnad Ahmad). Study the lives of the righteous predecessors who took extraordinary measures to conceal their good deeds.

The Fruits of Sincerity

Sincerity brings enormous fruits. It makes small deeds heavy on the Scale. A sincere word of La ilaha illAllah outweighs the entire earth filled with sins (the hadith of the card, Sunan al-Tirmidhi). It protects from Shaytan's influence: Allah quotes Iblis saying: "By Your might, I will mislead all of them, except Your sincere servants among them" (Quran 38:82-83). It brings contentment, because the sincere person is not dependent on people's praise. And it is the key to Jannah: "Say: Indeed, I have been commanded to worship Allah, being sincere to Him in religion" (Quran 39:11).