On Sincerity

A reflection on my deeds if it is attached with sincerity.

Allah’s Messenger SAW said: “A person who does something for the sake of show and reputation is like a person who fills up his purse with pebbles and goes to the market to buy something. But when he offers them to the seller, the seller throws them in hsi face. Thus’ there is no benefit to him from his purse except for people’s saying that his purse is full but he cannot buy anything. Similarly, a person who does something for the sake of show and reputation gets nothing but praise from the people but no reward in the next.”

‘Adi ibn Hatim (RAA) reported Allah’s messenger SAW as saying, “On the Day of Resurrection, groups of people will be led toward the Garden until they hear its humming, smell its fragrance, see its palaces and whatever Allah has prepared for its inhabitants. Then a call will be made to turn them away from it, since they have no portion in it. They will then turn away with regret and longing for it, like other groups of people before and after them, They will say, “Our Lord, If you had admitted us to the Fire before showing us what we have seen of the reward you have prepared for your friends, it would have been easier for us.” Then Allah Most High will say, “That is what I intended for you. In privacy you were arrogant towards Me, but when you were among people you were humble towards them, showing off your good deeds, the opposite of what you gave Me in your hearts. You gave people and not to Me. You showed veneration towards people but not to Me, your renunciation was for people but not for Me. Therefore today I am making you taste my grievous punishment and withholding from you my abundant reward”. (Thabrani, Abu Nai’m and Baihaqi).

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Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw) has related: "Three persons from the tribe of Bani Israel got together and started out on a journey. On the way, clouds gathered above them and it started to pour with rain and so they sought shelter in a nearby cave.

Suddenly, a large boulder slipped and blocked the entrance to the cave, trapping the three inside and transforming the day into a dark night for them. They had no other alternative except to turn to Allahn (SWT) for help.

"Let us use our sincere deeds as a means to obtain deliverance from this predicament," suggested one of them. All the others agreed with the suggestion.

One of them said, "O' Lord! You are aware that I have an extremely attractive cousin and that I was infatuated and obsessed with her. One day, finding her alone, I took hold of her and wanted to satisfy my carnal desires, when she spoke out to me saying: O' My cousin! Fear Allah (SWT) and do not harm my chastity. Hearing this, I crushed my lustful tendencies and decided against the evil act. O' Lord! If that deed of mine had been out of absolute sincerity and only for the purpose of acquiring Your pleasure, deliver us from grief and perdition."

Suddenly they witnessed that the huge boulder had moved away a little, faintly brightening up the interior of the cave.

The second person spoke out, "O' Lord! You know that I had a father and a mother, so old that their bodies had bent over due to their excessive age, and that I used to tend to them regularly. One night, having brought them their food, I observed that both of them were asleep. I passed the entire night near them, the food in hand, without waking them up for fear of disturbing them. O' Lord! If this deed of mine had been only for the sake of Your pleasure and happiness, open up a way for us and grant us salvation."

As he completed his speech, the group noticed that the boulder had moved aside a little more.

The third person supplicated, "O' Knower of every hidden and manifest! You know Yourself that I had a worker who used to work for me. When his term had reached its termination, I handed over to him his wages, but he was not pleased and desired more and, in a state of dissatisfaction and displeasure, he went away. I used his wage to purchase a goat, which I looked after separately and very soon I had a flock in my possession. After a period of time, the worker again approached me for his wage and I pointed towards the flock of sheep. Initially, he thought I was ridiculing him, but later, realizing my seriousness, took the entire flock and left. O' Lord! If this act had been prompted by sincerity and had only been for Your pleasure, deliver us from this quandary."

At this point the entire boulder moved aside from the mouth of the cave and all three emerged from it, joyous and ecstatic, and continued their journey.