In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
Materialism or the love of 'adornments on the earth' can make even acts of worship are done for worldly gains, recognition, respect, power and money.
أَفَحَسِبَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوٓا۟ أَن يَتَّخِذُوا۟ عِبَادِى مِن دُونِىٓ أَوْلِيَآءَ ۚ إِنَّآ أَعْتَدْنَا جَهَنَّمَ لِلْكَـٰفِرِينَ نُزُلًا ﴿١٠٢﴾ قُلْ هَلْ نُنَبِّئُكُم بِٱلْأَخْسَرِينَ أَعْمَـٰلًا ﴿١٠٣﴾ ٱلَّذِينَ ضَلَّ سَعْيُهُمْ فِى ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنْيَا وَهُمْ يَحْسَبُونَ أَنَّهُمْ يُحْسِنُونَ صُنْعًا ﴿١٠٤[Qur'an, Al-Kahf 18:103-104]
Say, [O Muhammad], "Shall we [believers] inform you of the greatest losers as to [their] deeds? (103) [They are] those whose effort is lost in worldly life, while they think that they are doing well in work." (104)
إِنَّا جَعَلْنَا مَا عَلَى ٱلْأَرْضِ زِينَةً لَّهَا لِنَبْلُوَهُمْ أَيُّهُمْ أَحْسَنُ عَمَلًا ﴿٧[Qur'an, Al-Kahf 18:7]
Indeed, We have made that which is on the earth adornment for it that We may test them [as to] which of them is best in deed. (7)
Sincere intention is indispensable prerequisite for the acceptance of a good deed. Renew your intentions often as intention that once good and sincere may become rusty.
The Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Deeds are according to their intentions and every person will receive according to what he/she intended…” (Bukhari)
Allah accepts an act which is pure and sincere.
قُلْ إِنَّمَآ أَنَا۠ بَشَرٌ مِّثْلُكُمْ يُوحَىٰٓ إِلَىَّ أَنَّمَآ إِلَـٰهُكُمْ إِلَـٰهٌ وَٰحِدٌ ۖ فَمَن كَانَ يَرْجُوا۟ لِقَآءَ رَبِّهِۦ فَلْيَعْمَلْ عَمَلًا صَـٰلِحًا وَلَا يُشْرِكْ بِعِبَادَةِ رَبِّهِۦٓ أَحَدًۢا ﴿١١٠[Qur'an, Al-Kahf 18:110]
Say, "I am only a man like you, to whom has been revealed that your god is one God. So whoever would hope for the meeting with his Lord - let him do righteous work and not associate in the worship of his Lord anyone." (110)
A sincere person (mukhlis) sets himself at the disposal of Allah, seeking only His pleasure, and in doing so, he attains honor and nobility.
Sincere intention will get important work done even from those who are considered incapable. If the intention is sincere, there will be no apathy, hesitation, or despair.
Some of the ways of acquiring sincerity in intention and action are as follows:
1. Attention to impotence of created beings
Absolute power belongs to Allah Almighty and none other than Him. Therefore, anyone who is created by Allah is not worthy of being the focus of attention or worship. Imagine, they are incapable of creating even a single fly.
"O people, an example is presented, so listen to it. Indeed, those you invoke besides Allah will never create [as much as] a fly, even if they gathered together for that purpose. And if the fly should steal away from them a [tiny] thing, they could not recover it from him. Weak are the pursuer and pursued." [Qur'an, Al-Hajj 22:73]
2. Attention to final end of hypocrites in the hereafter
"So woe to those who pray (4) [But] who are heedless of their prayer - (5) Those who make show [of their deeds] (6) And withhold [simple] assistance. (7)" [Qur'an, Al-Ma'un 107:4-0]
3. Attention to worthlessness of the world
Allah Almighty says,
"Know that the life of this world is but amusement and diversion and adornment and boasting to one another and competition in increase of wealth and children - like the example of a rain whose [resulting] plant growth pleases the tillers; then it dries and you see it turned yellow; then it becomes [scattered] debris. And in the Hereafter is severe punishment and forgiveness from Allah and approval. And what is the worldly life except the enjoyment of delusion." [Qur'an Al-Hadid 57:20]
"And this worldly life is not but diversion and amusement. And indeed, the home of the Hereafter - that is the [eternal] life, if only they knew." [Qur'an Al-Ankabut 29:64]
"...The present life is but the joy of delusion." [Qur'an AleImran 3:185]
"Wealth and children are [but] adornment of the worldly life. But the enduring good deeds are better to your Lord for reward and better for [one's] hope." [Qur'an, Al-Kahf 18:46]
4. Learning from the experiences of others
Many of those who focused their attention on other than Allah, met a painful and dismal fate. Taking one look at their fate can teach us the futility of worshiping anyone other than Allah.
Some examples from the stories in the Qur'an:
** The son of Prophet Nuh (peace be upon him) who turned his back on God and relied on the mountain’s height to be saved from the flood was helplessly drowned in the great deluge. [Qur'an, Hud 11:42-43]
** Qarun (Korah) did not pay heed to the sincere invitation of Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) and took pride in his abundant wealth, but he was miserably swallowed by the earth and none of his supporters was able to rescue him. [Qur'an, Al-Qasas 28:81]
** Many rich and affluent garden owners went away and left behind all the things they had accumulated. All their wealth was of no avail.
"How much they left behind of gardens and springs (25) And crops and noble sites (26) And comfort wherein they were amused. (27)" [Qur'an, ad-Dukhan 44:25-27]
"And his fruits were encompassed [by ruin], so he began to turn his hands about [in dismay] over what he had spent on it, while it had collapsed upon its trellises, and said, 'Oh, I wish I had not associated with my Lord anyone.'" (42) [Qur'an, Al-Kahf 18:42]
Allah exposed and unveiled the true nature of so many who deceptively showed themselves for sometime to be sincere and pious. Those who want to dupe the people and deceive Allah by means of ostentation and pretension, the Divine scheme will encompass them and they will be exposed.
"And [recall] when you slew a man and disputed over it, but Allah was to bring out that which you were concealing. (72)" [Qur'an, Al-Baqarah 2:72]
5. Attention to the real value
Allah, the Exalted, alone offers the best bargain for our actions:
He pays the most (Paradise and more ... His Noble Countenance);
"Indeed, Allah has purchased from the believers their lives and their properties [in exchange] for that they will have Paradise..." [Qur'an, At-Tawba 9:111]
He accepts small deeds
"So whoever does an atom's weight of good will see it" [Qur'an, Al-Zalzala 99:7]
When Mu’adh ibn Jabal asked the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) for an advice, he said to him, “Be sincere in your religion, even small deed will be enough for you.” (Mustadrak Hakim 7844)
He rewards good intentions; and
He conceals wicked and corrupt acts and manifests good deeds.
"But those whose scales are light - those are the ones who have lost their souls, [being] in Hell, abiding eternally." [Qur'an, Al-Mu'minun 23:103]
6. Reflecting on creation
Reflecting on creation enhances our cognition of the grandeur and Power of Allah, and as a result, we direct our deeds toward Him with greater sincerity and purity of intention.
7. Attention to the Attributes of Allah
Learning, reciting and remembering the Attributes of Allah, the Exalted, keeps our focus in the right direction, detaches us from all besides Him, and gradually elevates us.
8. Attention to His blessings
Recognizing the blessings of Allah and thankful for them draw man toward Allah and make his heart the sanctuary of His love.
9. Attention to the sure gain
Those who strive for the sake of the world and other than Allah may or may not attain their objective. The gain and outcome of the works of those who strive in the way of Allah and the hereafter, however, are certain.
"But whoever desires the Hereafter and exerts the effort due to it while he is a believer - it is those whose effort is ever appreciated [by Allah]." [Qur'an Al-Isra' 17:19]
May Allah make us of those who are sincere and accept our fasting, prayers and good deeds. May Allah grant us the company of the righteous and sincere. Ameen.
Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wasallam.
And Allah knows best and He alone grants success.
Wassalaam
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