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Reference: How to Achieve Sincerity by Hussain Al-Awayasha
Different people from all walks of life have the same goal, i.e. achieving happiness.
People often search for happiness in this dunya (world) forgetting the ahira (Hereafter).
Short term goals (happiness in this life e.g. material gains) vs. Long term losses (unprepared ness for the Hereafter, losses in the Hereafter)
Cure to achieve happiness: Performing good deeds for Allah (swt) with ikhlas (sincerity)
Remember that the dunya is a test to determine our place in the Hereafter (either Paradise or Hell)
WHAT IS REQUIRED FOR A DEED TO BE ACCEPTABLE
There are 2 Prerequisites
1. The person doing the deed should intend Allah’s (swt) pleasure
2. The deed itself should be in accordance with the Qur’an and Sunnah
For example:
The Sunnah for drinking something is to sit down, use the right hand to hold the glass or cup and drink in small sips. For it to be acceptable, the drink itself must be halal (e.g. drinking wine vs. drinking water). The act of drinking wine will not be acceptable even if done in accordance with the Sunnah because wine itself is haram (prohibited).
For a deed to be acceptable, the deed itself should be halal
THE COMMAND TO BE SINCERE AND THE WARNING AGAINST SHIRK (SHOWING OFF AND ASSOCIATING PARTNERS WITH ALLAH (SWT)):
The Prophet (saw) said, “Actions are governed by intentions. Everyman receives (rewards) according to his intentions.”
Hadith: About the 3 people of Hellfire
On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) say:
“The first of people against whom judgment will be pronounced on the Day of Resurrection will be a man who died a martyr. He will be brought and Allah will make known to him His favors and he will recognize them. [The Almighty] will say: And what did you do about them? He will say: I fought for you until I died a martyr. He will say: You have lied - you did but fight that it might be said [of you]: He is courageous. And so it was said. Then he will be ordered to be dragged along on his face until he is cast into Hell-fire. [Another] will be a man who has studied [religious] knowledge and has taught it and who used to recite the Qur’an. He will be brought and Allah will make known to his His favors and he will recognize them. [The Almighty] will say: And what did you do about them? He will say: I studied [religious] knowledge and I taught it and I recited the Qur’an for Your sake. He will say: You have lied - you did but study [religious] knowledge that it might be said [of you]: He is learned. And you recited the Qur’an that it might be said [of you]: He is a reciter. And so it was said. Then he will be ordered to be dragged along on his face until he is cast into Hell-fire. [Another] will be a man whom Allah had made rich and to whom He had given all kinds of wealth. He will be brought and Allah will make known to his His favors and he will recognize them. [The Almighty] will say: And what did you do about them? He will say: I left no path [untrodden] in which You like money to be spent without spending in it for Your sake. He will say: You have lied - you did but do so that it might be said [of you]: He is open-handed. And so it was said. Then he will be ordered to be dragged along on his face until he is cast into Hell-fire.” (Hadith Qudsi 6)
It was related by Muslim (also by at-Tirmidhi and an-Nasa'i).
Notes:
Actions can not exist without intentions
Intentions are only known by Allah.
A WARNING AGAINST THE SATAN AND HIS PLOYS
The Qur’an and Sunnah offer a good cure for a very bad disease
Surah 35 Faatir (The Originator of Creation)
6. Surely, Shaitan (Satan) is an enemy to you, so take (treat) him as an enemy. He only invites his Hizb (followers) that they may become the dwellers of the blazing Fire.
Surah 2 Al-Baqarah (The Cow)
268. Shaitan (Satan) threatens you with poverty and orders you to commit Fahsha (evil deeds, illegal sexual intercourse, sins etc.); whereas Allah promises you Forgiveness from Himself and Bounty, and Allah is All-Sufficient for His creatures' needs, All-Knower.
Notes: A poor man wouldn’t know he was poor unless he sees a rich man.
Surah 12 Yusuf (The Prophet Joseph)
5. He (the father) said: "O my son! Relate not your vision to your brothers, lest they arrange a plot against you. Verily! Shaitan (Satan) is to man an open enemy!
Surah 24 An-Noor (The Light)
21. O you who believe! Follow not the footsteps of Shaitan (Satan). And whosoever follows the footsteps of Shaitan (Satan), then, verily he commands Al-Fahsha' [i.e. to commit indecency (illegal sexual intercourse, etc.)], and Al-Munkar [disbelief and polytheism (i.e. to do evil and wicked deeds; to speak or to do what is forbidden in Islam, etc.)]. And had it not been for the Grace of Allah and His Mercy on you, not one of you would ever have been pure from sins. But Allah purifies (guides to Islam) whom He wills, and Allah is All-Hearer, All-Knower.
Surah 27 An-Naml (The Ant)
24. “I found her and her people worshipping the sun instead of Allah, and Shaitan (Satan) has made their deeds fair-seeming to them, and has barred them from (Allah's) Way, so they have no guidance,”
Surah 18 Al-Kahf (The Cave)
50. And (remember) when We said to the angels; "Prostrate to Adam." So they prostrated except Iblis (Satan). He was one of the jinns; he disobeyed the Command of his Lord. Will you then take him (Iblis) and his offspring as protectors and helpers rather than Me while they are enemies to you? What an evil is the exchange for the Zalimun (polytheists, and wrong-doers, etc).
Everyone has a companion from the jinns
Abdullah b. Mas'ud reported that Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) said:
There is none amongst you with whom is not an attaché from amongst the jinn (devil). They (the Companions) said: Allah's Messenger, with you too? Thereupon he said: Yes, but Allah helps me against him and so I am safe from his hand and he does not command me but for good. (Sahih Muslim Book 039, Number 6757)
Shaytan causing fitnah (trials)
Jabir reported: I heard Allah's Messenger (way peace be upon him) as saying:
“The throne of Iblis is upon the ocean and he sends detachments (to different parts) in order to put people to trial and the most important figure in his eyes is one who is most notorious in sowing the seed of dissension.” (Sahih Muslim Book 039, Number 6754)
Jabir reported that Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) said:
“Iblis places his throne upon water; he then sends detachments (for creating dissension); the nearer to him in tank are those who are most notorious in creating dissension. One of them comes and says: I did so and so. And he says: You have done nothing. Then one amongst them comes and says: I did not spare so and so until I sowed the seed of discord between a husband and a wife. The Satan goes near him and says: 'You have done well. A'mash said: He then embraces him.” (Sahih Muslim Book 039, Number 6755)
Jabir reported that Allah's Apostle (may peace be upqn him) said:
“The Satan sends detachments of his own in order to put people to trial and the highest in rank, in his eyes, is one who is most notorious in sowing the seed of dissension.” (Sahih Muslim Book 039, Number 6756)
Doing things opposite to that of the devils (e.g. taking naps, use of right hand, etc)
Picking up dropped food so as not to nourish the enemy (shaytan)
Jabir (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said:
“When a morsel of any of you falls, he should pick it up and remove any of the dirt on it and then eat it, and should not leave it for Satan nor should wipe his hand with towel until he has licked his fingers, for he does not know in what portion of the food the blessing lies.'”[Muslim]
A person should always seek refuge in Allah (swt) because Shaytan is always trying to bring man to commit evil deeds or avoid doing good deeds.
Surah 41 Fussilat
36. And if an evil whisper from Shaitan (Satan) tries to turn you away (O Muhammad (saw)) (from doing good, etc.), then seek refuge in Allah. Verily, He is the All-Hearer, the All-Knower.
Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as stating that Allah the Most High and Exalted said:
“I am the One, One Who does not stand in need of a partner. If anyone does anything in which he associates anyone else with Me, I shall abandon him with one whom he associates with Allah.” (Sahih Muslim Book 042, Number 7114)
On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), who said that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said:
Allah (glorified and exalted be He) said: I am so self-sufficient that I am in no need of having an associate. Thus he who does an action for someone else's sake as well as Mine will have that action renounced by Me to him whom he associated with Me. It was related by Muslim (also by Ibn Majah) (Hadith Qudsi 5)
How to seek refuge in Allah:
Please see Fortress of the Believer for more details
Saying A’uthu billahi minash shaitaanir rajeem (I seek refuge in Allah from Satan the outcast)
Recitation of the two Surahs Al-Falaq and An-Nas, as they have wondrous effect in seeking refuge with Allah from his evil, weakening Shaytan and protection from him. This is why the Messenger, sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam, said: “No person seeks refuge with anything like the Mu`awwidhatayn (soorahs al-Falaq and an-Nas)”. [an-Nasaa’i, 5337]
Recitation of Ayat al-Kursi (2:255).
Whoever says this when he rises in the morning will be protected from jinns until he retires in the evening, and whoever says it when retiring in the evening will be protected from them until he rises in the morning. (al-Hakim 1/562, Nasa’i and At-Tabarani)
Whoever reads this when he lies down to sleep will have a guardian from Allah remain with him and Satan will not be able to come near him until he rises in the morning. (Al-Bukhari, cf. Al-asqalani, Fath Al-Bari 4/487)
Recitation of Surah Al-Baqarah. The Messenger, sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam, said, “The house in which al-Baqarah is recited is not approached by Shaytan.” [Muslim]
The final part of al-Baqarah. The Messenger, sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam, said, “Whoever recites the two last verses of al-Baqarah at night they will suffice him.” [Muslim]
STORIES OF SINCERITY
Note: Seeking Allah’s (swt) assistance through sincerity.
Please see Appendix for details
Yusuf (Prophet Joseph) (as) and his sincere deeds
Qur’an Surah 12 Yusuf (The Prophet Yusuf)
The boy who believed
Ibrahim (Prophet Ibrahim) (as) and his wife near the House of Allah
The three people in the cave
Sincerity entails doing good deeds with a sense of fear of punishment.
THREE PREREQUISITES FOR ISTIGFAR TO BE ACCEPTED BY ALLAH
1. You have to stop the sin itself
2. You have to promise not to do it again
3. Whenever you remember that sin, you have to hate it/despise it.
References:Interpretation of the Meaning of the Noble Qur’an in the English Language A Summarized Version of At-Tabari, Al-Qurtubi and Ibn Kathir with Comments from Sahih Al
Bukhari Summarized in One Volume by Dr. Muhammad Taqi-ud-Din Al-Hilali, Ph.D. (Berlin) and Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan. 23rd Revised Edition: August 1998. Darussalam Publishers and Distributors. http://www.darussalam.com/
Summarized Sahih Al-Bukhari Arabic_English. Translated by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan. First edition 1996. Darussalam Publishers and Distributors. http://www.darussalam.com/
Fortress of the Muslim. Researched and Compiled by Sa’id bin Wahf Al-Qahtani. Translation Revised by ‘Aqeel Walker. September 2000. Darussalam Publishers and Distributors. http://www.darussalam.com/
http://quran.islamicnetwork.com/
http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/reference/searchhadith.html
http://www.islamawareness.net/Prophets/