Khutba on the Sincerity of Intention

Video

الحمد لله، الحمد لله الذي أمر بالإخلاص الإنسان، وجعله سر القبول وحسن الإيمان، نحمده تعالى ونستعينه، ونشكره تعالى ونستغفره ونستغيثه، نعوذ بالله من شرور أنفسنا ومن سيئات أعمالنا، من يهد الله فهو المهتد ومن يضلل فلن تجد له وليا مرشدا، ونشهد أن لا إله إلا الله وحده لا شريك له، له الملك و له الحمد، يحيي ويميت، بيده الخير، وهو على كل شيء قدير،  ونشهد أن سيدنا و مولانا محمداً عبده ورسوله، وحبيبه وصفيه، بلغ الرسالة وأدى الأمانة ونصح الأمة، النبي الأمي الذي أرسله الله بالهدى والدين الحق، بشيرا ونذيرا بين يدي الساعة، صلى الله عليه وسلم وعلى آله وأصحابه ومن تبعهم بإحسان إلى يوم الدين.

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. ومن يطع الله ورسوله فقد فاز فوزا عظيما. اتقوا الله فيما أمر وانتهوا عما نها عنه وزجر.

Islam is often defined as actions that we do and words that we say, and it is by words and actions that we tend to judge one another, but words and actions are empty and worthless if they are not for the right reason – they are but dried and withered husks, empty and meaningless shells. It is the intention behind them that gives them their meaning and assigns them their worth or their lack of it. This was made clear by the Messenger of Allah when he said,

إنما الأعمال بالنيات

“An action is only according to the intention behind it.” This intention is of three types. The first is purely for this world, which is by far the most common and blameworthy, for the majority of people upon this world are not on the path but rather in thrall to their whims and appetites. Allah says, 

وَإِن تُطِعَ اَكْثَرَ مَن فِي الاَرْضِ يُضِلُّوكَ عَن سَبِيلِ اللهِ

the translation of which is, “If you follow the majority of those who are on the Earth, they will lead you astray.” Actions that are purely for this world are essentially worthless, no matter how good they appear on the surface. They have no weight – they are as insubstantial and transient as the froth in a bubble bath – they fill the tub and cover every inch of the water but in no time at all no trace of them remains. A person’s deeds and accomplishments can seem numerous and great, but when he comes before his Lord, it will be as if he spent his entire life doing nothing at all. The Messenger of Allah said,

يؤتى يوم القيامة بأناس لهم أعمال كجبال تهامة يجعلها الله هباء منثوراً، قيل: يا رسول الله جلهم لنا، قال: إنهم يصلون كما تصلون، ويصومون كما تصومون، ويأخذون من الليل كما تأخذون ولكنهم غير مخلصين

“People will be brought forth on the Day of Qiyama with actions [piled up so high] they are like the mountains of Tihama, but Allah will make them like scattered dust.“ He was asked, “Messenger of Allah, clarify for us who they are.” He replied, “ They will pray as you pray, fast as you fast, and take a portion of the night as you take a portion of the night, but they will not be truly sincere.” They have no ikhlas – in other words, they do not act to please their Lord but rather to please themselves or to please other people. They may think they are being selfless, but the only truly selfless acts are those which are done desiring the Face of Allah.
The second type is what is done partly for this world and partly for the Next. I do not mean by this, cooking to feed your guests, or working to earn money to look after your family, as these are reasons, asbaab, and not intention. By intention, we mean what is the ultimate goal behind your action – is it to please Allah or to please people or to satisfy your own ego and sense of self-worth? If it is a combination of these things, then that is what we means by a mixed intention. Doing things to please people, doing things so that you can be seen to be doing them – this is called riyaa’. There are different levels of it, but even at the most basic level, riyaa’ is dangerous in the extreme. For it is like a cancer – even if there is only the smallest amount of it in the heart, unless you treat it, it will grow and grow until it consumes it entirely. Abu Sulayman ad-Daaraani said,

إذا كانت الآخرة في القلب جاءت الدنيا تزاحمها

“If the akhira is in someone’s heart, the dunya comes to try and force it out.” It is not content to let any part of your intention remain for your Lord. Riyaa’ is a form of the only unforgiveable crime the human being can commit, shirk/ associating others with Allah, albeit a minor form of it. The Messenger of Allah said,

إن أخوف ما أخاف عليكم الشرك الأصغر. قالوا: وما الشرك الأصغر يا رسول الله؟ قال: الرياء

“The thing I most fear for you is lesser shirk.” “What is lesser shirk?” they asked. He replied, “Riyaa’.” This is a common affliction and can enter any of our hearts. The Messenger was speaking to his umma, the believers, when he said these words, for he said ‘alaykum. But, alhamdulillah, there is a treatment for it, and it is at two levels. First, self-examination and reflection. Keeping careful watch on your own words and actions and evaluating your aims and intentions carefully. Sayyidina Umar used to say,

حاسب نفسك قبل أن تحاسب

“Take yourself to account before you are taken to account.” And the second way of treating it is by seeking and asking the help of your Lord, for it is He who has created you and He who creates your actions. The Messenger of Allah said about riyaa’,

يا أيها الناس اتقوا هذا الشرك، فإنه أخفى من دبيب النمل، فقال له من شاء الله أن يقول: وكيف نتقيه وهو أخفى من دبيب النمل يا رسول الله؟ قال: قولوا: اللهم إنا نعوذ بك من أن نشرك بك شيئاً نعلمه، ونستغفرك لما لا نعلمه

“People, take care to avoid this form of shirk, for it is harder to see than an ant.” One of them asked, “How can we avoid it , Messenger of Allah, if it is harder to see than an ant?” He replied, “Say, ‘O Allah, we seek refuge with You from associating with You anything about which we know, and seek Your forgiveness for associating with You anything about which we do not know.’” The third type of intention, the one for which we strive is that which is done purely for our Lord, purely in order to bring about what He has commanded. This is called ikhlaas and it is only when this is achieved that anything is actually truly done or accomplished. Such deeds are the only deeds that are truly acceptable to Him. The Prophet said,

إنّ اللّه لا يقبل من العمل إلّا ما كان له خالصا وابتغي به وجهه

“Allah does not accept a deed unless it is done purely for Him, seeking His Face.” Such deeds are the only deeds that bring us increase in this world and the Next. The Messenger of Allah said to Sa’d, 

إنك لم تعمل عملاً تبتغي به وجه الله تعالى إلا ازددت به خيراً ودرجة ورفعة

“Whenever you do a deed, seeking the Face of Allah by means of it, you will increase in good, in rank and in station.” It is only through people who act solely to please Him that Allah brings about change and restores what is right. They are His instruments, He is the eyes with which they see, the ears with which they hear, the feet with which they walk, and the hands with which they strike. They do what He wants and what He commands and nothing can stand in His way, nothing can stop Him. His izza becomes theirs. Allah says,

وَلِلَّهِ الْعِزَّةُ وَلِرَسُولِهِ وَلِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ

the translation of which is, “Might belongs to Allah, and to His Messenger and the believers.” We ask Allah to make us such people, and make our intentions pure and solely for Him and for Him alone.

أَقُولُ قَوْلِي هَذَا وَأَسْتَغْفِرُ اللهَ الْعَظِيمَ لِي وَلَكُمْ وَلِسَائِرِ المُسْلِمِينَ مِنْ كُلِّ ذَنْبٍ فَاسْتَغْفِرُوهُ إِنَّهُ هُوَ التَّوَّابُ الرَّحِيمُ.

الحمد لله الحمد لله رب العالمين، وأشهد أن لا إله إلا الله وحده لا شريك له وأشهد أن محمداً عبده ورسوله، صلى الله وسلم وبارك عليه وعلى آله وصحبه، والتابعين وتابعي التابعين 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 وأحذركم وإياي عن معصيته ومخالفته

This ikhlas is not always easy to quantify. How do we recognise it and how do we ensure that the people whose company we keep possess it? Well, there are certain qualities you should look for and certain qualities you should avoid. These are described to us by our Lord in various places throughout the Quran, specifically in His descriptions of the true muminun and the munafiqun, for they represent the two extremes – pure ikhlas and the absolute lack of it. One such description is found in Surat al-Ma’ida. Allah says,

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مَنْ يَرْتَدَّ مِنْكُمْ عَنْ دِينِهِ فَسَوْفَ يَأْتِي اللَّهُ بِقَوْمٍ يُحِبُّهُمْ وَيُحِبُّونَهُ أَذِلَّةٍ عَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَعِزَّةٍ عَلَى الْكَافِرِينَ يُجَاهِدُونَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ وَلَا يَخَافُونَ لَوْمَةَ لَائِمٍ

the translation of which is, “You who believe! if any of you renounce your deen, Allah will bring forward a people whom He loves and who love Him, humble to the believers, fierce to the unbelievers, who do jihad in the Way of Allah and do not fear the blame of any censurer.”
The qualities mentioned here are the outward manifestations of a people who have ikhlas. The first is love of Allah and love of His Messenger, for the only way to the pleasure of Allah is is to love what He loves. Allah says, addressing the Messenger,

قُلِ اِن كُنتُمْ تُحِبُّونَ اللهَ فَاتَّبِعُونِي

the translation of which is, “Say, if you love Allah, then follow me.” Thus, the first sign of the people of ikhlas is their concern for the Sunna. Those who act as the Prophet acted and do as he did, those who emulate his character. 
The second quality is the way they interact with their fellow creatures, being gentle, forgiving, compromising and humble when required, but also harsh, fierce and uncompromising when that is necessary. And that is because their hearts are tuned in to what is pleasing to Allah. They are pleased with what He is pleased with, and displeased with what incurs His displeasure. And they are pleased with those with whom He is pleased and displeased with those with whom He is displeased. And Allah’s pleasure is reserved for the believers. He is with them, even when they err and make mistakes. He is quick to cover over their faults and we must be the same. Ibn Sirin said,

إذا بلغَكَ عن أخيك شيءٌ فالتمِسْ له عُذرا، فإن لم تجدْ فقل: لعلَّ له عُذرا لاأعرِفُه

“If you hear something about your brother, make some sort of excuse for him. If you are unable to find an excuse, then say to yourself, “Perhaps he has an excuse that I do not know about.” As for open disobedience to Allah and outright rejection of Him, we cannot act as if it were nothing. We cannot stand by and let it happen in our presence without showing that is distressing and hateful, without expressing our displeasure. And not just in a wishy-washy way, but with strength and fierce resolve. We must speak out against such practices and make it clear in no uncertain terms to those who engage in them that we cannot abide their company until they cease and desist.
The third quality is that they struggle in the way of Allah. They go to their limits and beyond to ensure that Allah’s deen is in place. They don’t only act when things are easy and when everything is smooth sailing. They do not let difficulties and barriers halt their progress – rather they work even harder and expend their time, their wealth and even their lives to overcome them. They know that everything is with Allah, and whatever trials He has us endure are a sign of His love and a test by means of which He wants to further purify us and raise us up even higher.
And the final quality is that they do not fear the blame of any blamer, or the criticism of any one who criticises. They know that it is not important what people think, only what Allah thinks. They know that the outcome is in Hands and do not fear the future. They do not let imagined possible future outcomes prevent us from doing what needs to be done. They do not fret and worry about how others will perceive them if they continue along a particular course of action, rather they only worry about whether it is acceptable to Allah. They do not discard some necessary obligatory aspect of the deen because it will lead to negative PR. The only lawm, the only displeasure that they worry about is that of Allah.
There is a freedom to their action, unlike those at the opposite end of the spectrum, the munafiqun. Their hearts are filled with worry, they never encounter a person except that fret about how they will be perceived. They gear their actions according to what people will see of them – they follow many gods. And at the same time they look at everyone as a potential threat – they fear everything and everyone, even themselves. They do not know a moment’s rest. Allah says,

يَحْسِبُونَ كُلَّ صَيْحَةٍ عَلَيْهِمْ

the translation of which is, “They think that every cry is raised against them.” This is the danger that we face if we start doing things for reasons other than our Lord, if we let our intentions become mixed. We become the victim and everyone becomes our potential tormentor – we see enemies wherever we look. Life becomes unbearable. It is only when we turn fully to our Lord and allow nothing else in our hearts that our times on this planet can be worthwhile and successful. Look for those who have these qualities and embody these qualities yourself. And know that if you do not, then your Lord will replace you with a people who do, for He has promised to preserve this deen, and will always guarantee that there are people around who can adequately defend it.
We ask Allah to make us those people whom He loves and who love Him, who are gentle with the believers and hard towards the unbelievers, and who do not fear any criticism. We ask Him to enable us to put the Sunna of His Messenger into practice, and do what needs to be done in this age. We ask Him for victory and His continued support, to us and to all those Muslims who are struggling and fighting in His way in these difficult times.

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 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 شَيْخِنَا، 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، وَاخْذُلِ الْكُفْرَ وَالْكَافِرِينَ، وَانْصُرِ المُجَاهِدِينَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللهِ. وَاجْعَلْ كَلِمََتَكَ هِيَ العُلْيَا وَكَلِمَةَ الْكُفْرِ هِيَ السُّفْلَى. 

رَبَّنَا ءَاتِنَا فِي الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَفِي الآخِرَةِ حَسَنَةً وَقَِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ. 

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.