الحمد لله، الحمد لله الذي الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي هَدَانَا لِهَٰذَا وَمَا كُنَّا لِنَهْتَدِيَ لَوْلَا أَنْ هَدَانَا اللَّهُ ، نحمده ونستعينه ونستغفره، ونؤمن به ونتوكل عليه، ونعوذ بالله من شرور أنفسنا ومن سيئات أعمالنا، من يهده الله فلا مضل له، ومن يضلل فلا هادي له، ونشهد أن لا إله إلا الله وحده لا شريك له، له الملك وله الحمد، يحيي ويميت، بيده الخير، وهو على كل شيء قدير، ونشهد أن سيدنا ومولانا محمداً عبده ورسوله، أرسله بشيرًا ونذيرًا بين يدي الساعة، من يطع الله ورسوله فقد اهتدى، ومن يعصهما فإنه قد ضل، وإنه لا يضر إلا نفسه ولا يضر الله شيئًا. أما بعد! فيا عباد الله اتقوا الله حق تقاته ولا تموتن إلا وأنتم مسلمون. يأيها الذين ءامنوا اتقوا الله وقولوا قولا سديدا يصلح لكم أعمالكم ويغفر لكم ذنوبكم، وَمَا خَلَقْتُ ٱلْجِنَّ وَٱلْإِنسَ إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُونِ
“And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me.” (Adh-Dhariyat 51:56)
Reflect deeply on this verse. Allah, the Most High, explicitly reveals the reason for our existence: worship. Yet, if our understanding of worship is limited to the five daily prayers, fasting in Ramadan, paying zakah, and performing Hajj once in a lifetime, then what about the rest of our time? These acts of worship, though pillars of our Deen, are only a portion of our lives. The question arises: How do we fulfill the purpose of our existence in the bulk of our time?
The answer lies in the profound concept of ikhlas (sincerity). The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ conveyed Allah’s words:
الإخلاص سرّ من سرّي استودعته قلب من أحببته من عبادي
“Sincerity is a secret from My secret; I place it in the heart of whomever I love among My servants.” (Ihya)
Junaid al-Baghdadi beautifully explains sincerity as a secret between Allah and His servant. It is so pure that neither angels can record it nor Shaytan can corrupt it, nor whims incline it.
Sheikh Ibn `Ataa’illah As-Sakandari, in his timeless wisdom, says:
الأعمال صور قائمة وأرواحها وجود سرّ الإخلاص فيها
“Actions are lifeless forms; their soul is the presence of sincerity within them.”
Without sincerity, our deeds are like hollow statues—lifeless and devoid of meaning.
Before striving for sincerity, we must first affirm reliance on Allah and hope in His mercy. Sincerity demands a heart filled with hope and reliance, as illustrated by Imam Ash-Shafi’i in his moving poem:
إذا قسا قلبي وضاقت مذاهبي جعلت الرجا مني لعفوك سلّما
تعاظمني ذنبي فلما قرنته بعفوك ربي كان عفوك أعظما
“When my heart hardened and my paths became constricted, I made my hope in Your forgiveness a ladder. My sin seemed so great to me, but when I compared it to Your forgiveness, O my Lord, Your forgiveness was greater.”
This hope fuels our journey toward Allah, allowing us to purify our intentions. The Prophet ﷺ said:
إِنَّمَا الأَعْمَالُ بِالنِّيَّاتِ، وَإِنَّمَا لِكُلِّ امْرِئٍ مَا نَوَى
“Actions are according to intentions, and every person will have only what they intended.” (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)
This profound hadith reminds us that the value of any action is determined by the sincerity of its intention. Consider the early emigrants (muhajirun) who left their homes for Allah and His Messenger. Allah praises them:
وَالسَّابِقُونَ الْأَوَّلُونَ مِنَ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ وَالْأَنْصَارِ وَالَّذِينَ اتَّبَعُوهُمْ بِإِحْسَانٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ وَرَضُوا عَنْهُ وَأَعَدَّ لَهُمْ جَنَّاتٍ تَجْرِي تَحْتَهَا الْأَنْهَارُ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا أَبَدًا ذَلِكَ الْفَوْزُ الْعَظِيمُ
“And the first and foremost among the emigrants and the helpers, and those who followed them with righteousness—Allah is well pleased with them, and they are well pleased with Him. He has prepared for them gardens beneath which rivers flow, wherein they shall abide forever. That is the supreme triumph.” (At-Tawbah 9:100)
This divine approval was earned by their sincere intentions. Without sincerity, acts of worship risk becoming mere displays to please others. Such actions fall into the realm of hypocrisy (nifaq), which Allah strongly condemns:
الَّذِينَ هُمْ يُرَاءُونَ وَيَمْنَعُونَ الْمَاعُونَ
“Those who want only to be seen and praised and refuse to even give basic assistance (when possible).” Conversely, with sincerity, even mundane habits become acts of worship. Eating, when done with the sincere intention of gaining strength to worship Allah, becomes worship. Working, when aimed at supporting one’s family or giving sadaqah, becomes an act of devotion.
One of the righteous predecessors exemplified this beautifully. When someone knocked on his door while he was teaching his students, he paused and made several intentions: If it was a poor person, he would give sadaqah; if it was someone seeking help, he would assist; if it was a child, he would show kindness. Before even opening the door, he transformed this simple act into multiple acts of worship through sincerity of intention.
فَٱعۡبُدِ ٱللَّهَ مُخۡلِصٗا لَّهُ ٱلدِّينَ
“So dedicate yourself in worship to Allah alone, sincere to His way of life.” (Az-Zumar 39:2)
أَلَا لِلَّهِ ٱلدِّينُ ٱلۡخَالِصُۚ
“Is it not to Allah that sincere deen is due?” (Az-Zumar 39:3)
The first to be judged on the Day of Resurrection will be three types of people: a fighter, a scholar and a philanthropist. Allah, the Almighty, will bring them before Him on the Day of Resurrection and remind them of the favours He had bestowed upon them. They will acknowledge and admit them. He will then ask each one: Why they had done these amal/acts of worship?
The first will reply: “I fought for Your Cause until I was martyred.” Allah will say: “You have lied. You fought so that people might call you courageous, and they have done so.” A command will then be issued about him, and he will be dragged on his face and thrown into the Fire.
The next man will reply: “I acquired knowledge and taught it, and I read the Qur’an for Your sake.” Allah will say to him: “You have lied. You acquired knowledge so that people might call you learned, and you read the Qur’an so that they might call you a reciter, and they have done so.” A command will be issued and he will be dragged on his face, thrown into the Fire.
Then, a man whom Allah had made affluent and to whom Allah had given plenty of wealth will be brought forward. The man will reply: ” I left no path where You would want money to be spent, except that I spent on it for You.” Allah will say to him: “You have lied. You did it so that people might call you generous, and they have done so.” A command will then be issued about him, and he will be dragged on his face and thrown into Hell.
أقول قولي هذا وأستغفر الله لي ولكم ولسائر المسلمين من كل ذنب فاستغفروه إنه هو الغفور الرَّحيم
الحمد لله الحمد لله رب العالمين، وأشهد أن لا إله إلا الله وحده لا شريك له وأشهد أن محمداً عبده ورسوله، أرسله بشيرا ونذيرا بين يدي الساعة اللهم صلِّ وسلم وبارك عليه وعلى آله وأصحابه أجمعين، ومن تبعهم بإحسان إلى يوم الدين.
أما بعد! فيأيها الذين ءامنوا اتقوا الله ما استطعتم واسمعوا وأطيعوا وأنفقوا خيرا لأنفسكم. يا عباد الله أوصيكم وإياي بتقوى الله وطاعته
Ya IbadaAllah, Praise be to Allah, who has guided us to His worship and granted us the opportunity to draw closer to Him. Many of us, including myself, have been blessed with the invitation to perform Umrah—a sacred act of worship, a journey that holds the promise of wiping away past sins and earning the favour and forgiveness of our Lord.
But let us reflect deeply: without sincerity, even the greatest act of worship can become hollow—like a statue without a soul. The journey of Umrah does not begin when you see the Ka‘bah, nor when you don the ihram. It begins with your intention.
Why are you undertaking this journey? Is it to meet other Muslims and learn about their lives? Is it for business or shopping? To indulge in the delights of food or to present an image of righteousness to others? If our intentions are not pure, the very essence of this amazing journey can be witness against you.
The key lies in sincerity—in making your intention solely for the sake of seeking the pleasure of Allah. When your intention is pure, and your heart longs for Allah’s countenance, then every step of your journey becomes an act of worship. Your existence itself begins to align with the purpose for which you were created. But beware! Even in the purity of worship, there lies a subtle trap: the trap of pride.
If you take pride in your deeds, thinking yourself superior or self-sufficient, your deeds lose their value. Allah accepts only those who approach Him with humility and brokenness, acknowledging their need and helplessness before Him.
Consider the one who stands at the door of Allah, humbled and broken, saying with sincerity:
“O my Lord, I am Your servant—lost, guilty, and burdened with wrongdoings. I am poor, weak, and in desperate need of You. I come to Your door, stripped of all pretensions and delusions of my own ability. There is no strength or might in me except what You grant. I raise my hands with hope, seeking Your mercy and generosity. O Allah, have mercy on me. Heal my broken heart. Forgive me and grant me Your closeness.”
This is the essence of drawing closer to Allah. It is not the magnitude of deeds that matters but the humility and sincerity behind them. Even if your deeds are few, as long as they are sincere and accompanied by repentance, they are beloved to Allah.
Yet, how rare is this state of true humility! As Shaykh Abdul Qadir Al-Jilani observed:
“I looked at the path of true humility towards Allah, and I found it empty.”
How many people truly stand before Allah in sincere humility, acknowledging their flaws and considering others better than themselves? Very few.
Often, even when we attempt to express humility, arrogance may creep in. We may think, “I am admitting my faults and acknowledging my sins, but who are they to speak of my shortcomings?” This subtle pride taints the confession of humility, rendering it insincere.
True humility is when you see yourself as entirely dependent on Allah’s mercy, without feeling superior to anyone else. It is this state of brokenness, sincerity, and reliance on Allah that brings you close to Him.
Ya IbadaAllah, as we prepare for acts of worship like Umrah or any other journey towards Allah, let us purify our intentions. Let us strive to embody humility, recognizing our need for Allah and stripping away all pride. May Allah grant us sincerity in our servitude and worship, humility in our hearts, and acceptance of our deeds.
I wish bid salam on behalf of myself and family to all present here today as we intend to undertake the journey of umrah only by the favour of Allah and birahmatillah sincerely for the sake of Allah.
إِنَّ اللهَ وَمَلَائِكَتَهُ يُصَلُّونَ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ، يَا أَيُهَا الذِينَ آمَنُواْ صَلُّواْ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلِّمُواْ تَسْلِيماً.
اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ وَسَلِّمْ وَبَارِكْ عَلَيْهِ وَعَلَى آلِهِ وَصَحْبِهِ أَجْمَعِينَ. وَارْضَ اللَّهُمَّ عَنِ الْخُلَفَاءِ الرَّاشِدِينَ أَبِي بَكْرٍ وَعُمَرَ وَعُثْمَانَ وَعَلِيٍّ، وعن أم المومنين عائشة التي أمرنا الله في سورة النور أن ندافع عنها، وَعَنْ سَائِرِ الصَّحَابَةِ أَجْمَعِينَ، خُصُوصاً اِلأَنْصَارَ مِنْهُمْ وَالمُهَاجِرِينَ، وَعَنِ التَّابِعِينَ وَتَابِعِي التَّابِعِينَ وَمَنْ تَبِعَهُمْ بِإِحْسَانٍ إِلَى يَوْمِ الدِّينِ.
اللَّهُمَّ أَنْصُرْ أَهْلَ الشَّامِ عَلَى مَنْ ظَلَمَهُمْ، وَأَصْلِحْ حَالَهُمْ، وَاحْفَظْ أَرْضَهُمْ وَعِبَادَهُمْ اللَّهُمَّ اهْدِ وُلَاةَ أُمُورِ المُسْلِمِينَ لِمَا يُرْضِيكَ وَلِاتِّبَاعِ سُنَّةِ نَبِيِّكَ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، وَثَبِّتْ أَقْدَامَهُمْ عَلَى الصِّرَاطِ المُسْتَقِيمِ، وَأَصْلِحْهُمْ يَا رَبَّ الْعَالَمِينَ.
اللَّهُمَّ بَارِكْ عَلَى شُيُوخِنَا، وَعَلَى رئيسنا، وَعَلَى أَمِيرِنَا، وَعَلَى جَمِيعِ أُمَرَاءِ وَزُعَمَاءِ المُسْلِمِينَ.
اللَّهُمَّ بَارِكْ عَلَى المُسْلِمِينَ فِي هَذِهِ المَدِينَةِ، وَوَفِّقْهُمْ لِمَا تُحِبُّهُ وَتَرْضَاهُ يَا أَكْرَمَ الأَكْرَمِينَ.
اللَّهُمَّ أَعِزَّ الإِسْلَامَ وَالمُسِْلمِينَ. ربنا آتنا في الدنيا حسنة وفي الآخرة حسنة وقنا عذاب النار.
إِنَّ اللهَ يَامُرُ بِالْعَدْلِ وَالإِحْسَانِ وَإِيتَاءِ ذِي الْقُرْبَى، وَيَنْهَى عَنِ الْفَحْشَاءِ وَالمُنكَرِ وَالْبَغْيِ، يَعِظُكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَذَّكَّرُونَ، وَلَذِكْرُ اللهِ أَكْبَرُ وَاللهُ يَعْلَمُ مَا تَصْنَعُونَ. وَقُومُواْ إِلَى صَلاتِكُمْ يَرْحَمُكُمُ اللهُ.
