Al Ikhlash
Ikhlas
Seeking Reputation
It is reported that ʿAbdullāh b. ʿUmar – Allāh be pleased with them – said:
Whoever tries to make people hear of his deeds, Allāh will make [some] of His creation hear of him (ex*pose him), and belittle him. Ibn ʿUmar then began to cry.
Wakīʿ b. Al-Jarrāḥ, Al-Zuhd #308.
Good deeds, hypocrisy, Ikhlas, intentions, Punishment, the heart
'Abdullah b. 'Umar
Dua from the Bottom of the Heart [Ikhlas]
ʿAbd Al-Raḥmān b. Yazīd re*ports:
Al-Rabīʿ b. Khuthaym used to come to ʿAlqamah on the day of Jumuʿah and they would talk. They would call for me and I would come and talk with them. One day, they sent for me and I came. ʿAlqamah said to me, "Have you not heard what
Al-Rabīʿ b. Khuthaym has come to us with?" I replied, "And what is that?" He said, "[Rabīʿ] said a man from the People of Scripture once said to us, "Do you not see how much people supplicate but how seldom their prayers are answered? That is be*cause Allāh does not accept except what is sincere and purely for Him."" I said, "Well ʿAbdullāh [b. Masʿūd] already said the same." He asked, "What did he say?" I replied, "Haven’t you heard him say, "By Him other than whom there is none worthy of worship, Allāh does not accept [the deed] of one who seeks to be heard of, or seen, and nor someone who is playing around, [He only accepts the supplication] of one who calls upon Him from the bottom of his heart."" He replied, "Indeed, [I have heard him say that]."
Hunād b. Al-Sarī, Al-Zuhd #874.
Ikhlas, remembering Allah, supplication, the heart
'Abdullah b. Mas’ûd
Hiding Righteous Tears
It is reported from Ḥammād b. Zayd that he said, "I never saw a man who used to smile more at people than ʾAyyūb."
Al-Dhahabī, Siyar ʾAʿlām Al-Nubalāʾ 5:17
It is reported from Ḥammād b. Zayd that ʾAyyūb [Al-Sakhtiyānī] was once in a gathering when he was effected (moved to tears) by an exhortation, so he began wiping his nose saying, "How severe a cold can be!"
Op. cit. 5:20
It is also reported from Ḥammād that ʾAyyūb was once over*come with weeping, so he said, "A shaykh, when he gets very old, dribbles."
Op. cit. 5:22
Crying, fear, Ikhlas, intentions
Ayyûb Al-Sakhtiyânî
Sincere Faith
It is reported that Abū Hurayrah – Allāh be pleased with him – said:
Three things are from Imān: when a man has nocturnal emission during a cold night, so he gets up – only Allāh sees him, and has a full wash; when a person fasts on a hot day; and when a man prays in a baren land, where none but Alāh sees him.
Al-Bayhaqī, Shu’ab Al-Īmān article 51
fasting, Ikhlas, iman, intentions, prayer, Purification, Ramadan
Abû Hurayrah
Five Essential Qualities of a Mufti
Ibn Battah records that Imām Ahmad – Allāh have mercy on him – said:
No man should appoint himself to issue verdicts (fatwa) until and unless he fulfills five characteristics:
First, he should have a [firm and good] intention; for if he does not, he will have no light upon him, and nor will his words.
Second, he should be forbearing, tranquil and serene.
Third, he should be strong upon what he is involved in, strong in its knowledge.
Fourth, he should have sufficient means (wealth), otherwise the people will chew him up.
Fifth, he should know people and their ways.
Ibn Battah, Ibtāl Al-Hiyal p24.
After quoting this statement, and before his commentary on it, Ibn Al-Qayyim states:
This is one of the proofs of the eminence of Imām Ahmad and his lofty status in knowledge and insight; for these five are the pillars of fatwā, and to the extent that there is deficiency in any of them, to that extent faults will appear in the mufti.
I’lām Al-Muwaqi’īn, 6:106
fiqh, Ikhlas, intentions, knowledge, Law, patience
Imâm Ahmad
Ikhlas
Love for the Sincere
It is reported that Harim b. Hayyān – Allāh have mercy on him – said:
Never does the servant turn whole heartedly to Allāh except that Allāh turns the hearts of the believers to him, providing him their love.
Al-Dhahabī, Siyar A’lām Al-Nubalā` 4:49.
Harim b. Hayyān was one of the Successors, deputized by ‘Umar, and known for his devoutness.
Brotherhood, Ikhlas, intentions, love
Harim b. Hayyān
Truth and Falsehood, Praise and Blame
It is reported that Khālid b. Ma’dan – Allāh have mercy on him – said:
Whoever seeks praise by going against the truth, Allāh will throw it back upon him as blame, and whoever faces blame in order to conform to the truth, Allāh will return it as praise for him.
Al-Dhahabī, Siyar A’lām Al-Nubalā` 4:540.
Character, Ikhlas, patience
Khâlid b. Ma'dân
The Sweetest Words [Ikhlas]
It is reported that the son of Al-Fudayl b. ‘Ayyâd – Allâh have mercy on him – said to his father:
Father! How sweet (beautiful) the speech of the Companions is! [Al-Fudayl] said, “Son, do you know why it was so sweet?” He replied, “No father, I do not.” He said, “Because they sought Allâh the Exalted when they spoke.”
Al-Bayhaqî, Shu’ab Al-îmân 2:299
Ikhlas, intentions, The Companions
Al-Fudayl b. 'Ayyâd
Umar’s In*structions on the First Night of Ramadan
It is reported that on the first night of Ramadân, ‘Umar – Allâh be pleased with him – would pray Maghrib, then say (to the people):
Sit down. Then he would give a small address: Verily the fasting of this month has been made a duty upon you, and standing in night prayer has not been made a duty upon you, but those amongst you who can stand in prayer should do so, for it is from the extra good deeds about which Allâh told us: so whoever cannot stand in prayer, let him sleep on his bed.
And beware of saying: I will fast if so and so fasts and I will stand in night prayer if so and so stands in prayer. Who*ever fasts or stands in night prayer, he must make this for Allâh. And you should know that you are in prayer as long as you are waiting for a prayer.
Minimize any vain or false speech in the houses of Allâh (mosques; he said this two or three times). Let none of you fast a few days before the month (in order to avoid missing the beginning of the month; he said this three times). And do not fast until you see [the crescent of the new month] unless it is overcast. If it is overcast, count [the previous month] as 30 days. Then do not break your fasts until you see the night upon the mountain (i.e. you are sure the sun has set).
‘Abd Al-Razzâq Al-San’ânî, Al-Musannaf article 7748.
fasting, fiqh, Ikhlas, intentions, mosque, Ramadan
'Umar b. Al-Khattâb
Secret Devotion
It is reported that Shurayh the Judge used to have a house in which he would spend time alone on Fridays; no one knew what he did in it.
Al-Dhahabî, Siyar A’lâm Al-Nubalâ` Vol.4 p105.
It is reported that Abû Al-‘Âliyah said, “I learned writing and the Qur`ân without my family noticing, and not a drop of ink was ever seen on my garment.”
Abû Nu’aym, Hily*atu Al-Awliyâ` Vol. 2 p217.
It is reported that when Ibn Abî Laylâ prayed [at night], if someone entered [his house], he would lie down on his bed [as if he was sleeping].
Ibid. Vol. 4 p351.
It is reported that Ayyûb Al-Sakhtiyânî used to pray all night and hide it. In the morning, he would raise his voice as if he had just woken up.
Al-Dhahabî, op. cit. Vol. 6 p17.
It is reported that Dâwûd b. Abî Hind fasted for forty years with*out his family knowing, he would take his lunch out with him and donate it in the street.
Ibid. Vol. 6 p378.
Character, Good deeds, Ikhlas, intentions, worship
Abû Al-‘Âliyah, Ayyûb Al-Sakhtiyânî, Dâwûd b. Abî Hind, Shurayh Al-Qâdî
Ikhlas
Impressive
Imâm Ibrâhîm Al-Nakha’î said about the Salaf:
When in a gathering, they used to dislike a person showing the best of what he has.
Ibn Abî Al-Dunyâ, Al-Ikhlâs wa Al-Nîyah (Sincerity and Intentions) p50.
Ikhlas, intentions
Ibrâhîm Al-Nakha’î, The Salaf
Sincere and Correct
Al-Fudayl b. ‘Ayyâd [187H] – Allah have mercy on him – said:
“Allah ‘azza wa jalla accepts only those deeds which are both correct and sincere (pure). If the deed is done correctly but not sincerely, it will not be accepted. And if it is sincere but not correct, it will not be accepted.” He was asked, “Abû ‘Alî! What is the sincere and correct deed?” He replied, “The sincere deed is one that is done only for Allah ‘azza wa jall. And the correct deed is one done according to the Sunnah.”
Abû Nu’aym, Hilyah Al-Awliyâ` Vol.8 p95.
Bid'ah, Ikhlas, intentions, Sunnah, worship
Al-Fudayl b. 'Ayyâd
The Secret Charity of ‘Alî b. Husayn
It is reported that there used to be poor people in Al-Madînah who didn’t know where they were getting their food from. When ‘Alî b. Husayn passed away, they started missing what they used to be given at night.
Abû Hamzah Al-Thumâlî narrates that ‘Alî b. Husayn used to carry bread on his back in the darkness of the night and follow the poor people (to give it to them). He used to say, “Charity in the darkness of the night extinguishes the Lords anger.”
‘Amr b. Thâbit re*ports that when ‘Alî b. Husayn died, they found marks on his back from the sacks of provisions he used to carry at night to the houses of the widows.
Shaybah b. Nu’âmah narrates that when ‘Alî b. Husayn died they found out that he used to provide for a hundred (poor) families.
Al-Dhahabî in Siyar A’lâm Al-Nubalâ’ under the biography of ‘Alî b. Husayn Zayn Al-‘Âbidîn.
charity, Ikhlas, intentions
'Alî b. Husayn Zayn Al-‘Âbidîn
The Sound of Your Own Voice
Nu’aym b. ‘Ab*dil*lah, the scribe of the righteous Caliph ‘Umar b. ‘Abd Al-‘Azîz – Allah have mercy on him, narrates that ‘Umar b. ‘Abd Al-‘Azîz said:
The fear of showing off and vying with others prevents me from saying much of what could be said.
Abdullah b. Mubârak in Al-Zuhd wa Al-Raqâ’iq Vol. 1 p193, no. 126.
Ikhlas, intentions
'Umar b. 'Abd Al-'Azîz
Intentions First
The Prophet Muhammad – Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him – said:
Actions are but by intentions, and everyone will have what he intended. So whoever migrated to Allah and His Messenger, he migrated to Allah and His Messenger. But whoever migrated for some worldly benefit, or to take a woman in marriage, then his migration was only to what he migrated to.
Al-Bukhâri, Muslim and others.
Traditionally, Muslim scholars chose to begin their works by quoting this hadîth, or report, from the Messenger of Allah, Muhammad – Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him. Here is a brief commentary taken from Ibn Rajab’s Jâmi’ Al-‘Ulûm wa Al-Hikam, in which he explains the entire Forty Hadîth collection of Al-Nawawi:
Imâm Al-Bukhârî (as Al-Nawawi later did in his Forty Hadîth) begins his Sahîh collection with this hadîth, reminding us that any deed through which Allah’s pleasure is not sought is futile; it will bear no fruits in this life or the hereafter.
‘Abd Al-Rahmân b. Mahdî, the great scholar of hadîth, said, “If I were to compile a work in chapters, I would place this hadîth at the beginning of each one.” He also said, “Whoever wishes to author a book, he should begin with the hadîth about intentions.”
This hadîth forms a fundamental principle of Islâm and an axis around which this way of life revolves.
It is reported that Imâm Al-Shâfi’î said, “This hadîth constitutes a third of all knowledge, and it relates to seventy areas of fiqh (correct understanding of the religion).”
It is reported from Imâm Ahmad that he said, “The foundations of Islâm are upon three hadîth: the one reported by ‘Umar – ‘Actions are but by intentions’, the one reported by ‘Âishah – ‘Whoever does a deed that does not conform to our commands will have it rejected’ and the one re*ported by Al-Nu’mân b. Bashîr – ‘The halâl and harâm are clear…’”
This hadîth teaches us the principle that acceptance of our deeds and whether or not they are regarded as righteous depends primarily on what the intention behind them is. If the intention is good and pure – to receive Allah’s pleasure and reward, the deed is righteous. Otherwise the deed is futile and false. This is the first thing that needs to be dealt with.
The second condition which needs to be met for our deeds to be accepted by Allah is that they should be in conformity with Islâm’s true teachings as taught to us by the Prophet – peace and blessing be upon him – and as understood and applied by the Righteous Predecessors. Hence, the Prophet stated:
Whoever does a deed that does not conform to our commands will have it rejected.
Al-Bukhârî and Mus*lim.
Ikhlas, intentions, Introduction, worship
'Abd Al-Rahmân b. Mahdî, Imâm Ahmad, Imâm Al-Bukhârî
