Sincerity (Ikhlas) and devotion to Allah are fundamental and highly significant principles in Islam. Even the most authentic book of Hadith among Sunni Muslims, Sahih al-Bukhari, emphasizes the importance of sincerity. This sincerity must be observed even in one’s intentions, let alone in actions and acts of worship, which undoubtedly hold greater value and significance.
Ikhlas means performing every action for the sake of pleasing Almighty Allah, not for the sake of showing off or seeking fame. In the sacred religion of Islam, a sincere Muslim does not perform righteous deeds to be seen by others, to gain praise, or to seek admiration. Rather, the intention of a Muslim is solely to attain Allah’s pleasure, which cannot be achieved through ostentation or the pursuit of reputation but requires true sincerity and devotion to Allah.
Therefore, every Muslim must purify their intentions in all actions and make them solely for Allah, so that their deeds and acts of worship are accepted by the Almighty. Allah only accepts deeds that are done purely for Him and with the intention of seeking His pleasure, as He states in His Holy Book, the Glorious Qur’an: «وَمَا أُمِرُوا إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ الدِّينَ حُنَفَاءَ وَيُقِيمُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَيُؤْتُوا الزَّكَاةَ وَذَلِكَ دِينُ الْقَيِّمَةِ» [Surah Al-Bayyinah: 5] Translation: “And they were not commanded except to worship Allah, being sincere to Him in religion, inclining to truth (and following the monotheistic religion of Ibrahim), and to establish prayer and give zakah. And that is the correct and straight religion.”
Elsewhere, while warning against the hypocrites, Allah (s.w.t) emphasizes: «إِنَّا أَنْزَلْنَا إِلَيْكَ الْكِتَابَ بِالْحَقِّ فَاعْبُدِ اللَّهَ مُخْلِصًا لَهُ الدِّينَ ﴿۲﴾ أَلَا لِلَّهِ الدِّينُ الْخَالِصُ وَالَّذِينَ اتَّخَذُوا مِنْ دُونِهِ أَوْلِيَاءَ مَا نَعْبُدُهُمْ إِلَّا لِيُقَرِّبُونَا إِلَى اللَّهِ زُلْفَى إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَحْكُمُ بَيْنَهُمْ فِي مَا هُمْ فِيهِ يَخْتَلِفُونَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَهْدِي مَنْ هُوَ كَاذِبٌ كَفَّارٌ (۳)» [Az-Zumar: 2-3] Translation: “Indeed, we have sent down to you the Book with the truth, so worship Allah and make religion sincere to Him. Know that religion is only for Allah. And those who take Allahs (and saints) besides Him say, ‘We worship them only that they may bring us nearer to Allah.’ Indeed, Allah will judge between them (on the Day of Resurrection) concerning that in which they differed. Indeed, Allah does not guide the ungrateful liar.”
The great Prophet of Islam (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) also said: «إِنَّ اللهَ لَا يَقْبَلُ مِنَ الْعَمَلِ إِلَّا مَا كَانَ لَهُ خَالِصًا، وَابْتُغِيَ بِهِ وَجْهُهُ.» Translation: “Allah does not accept any action unless it is pure and done solely for His pleasure.”
Sincerity is one of the permanent characteristics of a Muslim, whether they are a servant, a merchant, a leader in the cause of good and forbidding evil or hold any other position. All Muslims are called to serve the manifest religion of Islam, and everyone is expected to perform their duties correctly. Allah Almighty has ordered us to act carefully and honestly in all matters of life. Whoever acts sincerely and benevolently in the cause of enjoining good and forbidding evil, without expectation or hypocrisy, and performs this divine duty as a sacred responsibility, will indeed receive valuable rewards from Allah Almighty.
One of these divine rewards is that Satan stays away from the sincere Muslim and cannot tempt them or approach them, for Allah Almighty protects sincere believers from the evil of Satan.
In the Holy Quran, in the story of Satan, who presented himself to Allah Almighty after being expelled from Paradise, the following is quoted from Satan: «قَالَ رَبِّ بِمَا أَغْوَيْتَنِي لَأُزَيِّنَنَّ لَهُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَلَأُغْوِيَنَّهُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ ﴿۳۹﴾ إِلَّا عِبَادَكَ مِنْهُمُ الْمُخْلَصِينَ (۴۰)» [Al-Hijr: 39-40] Translation: “[Satan] said: ‘My Lord! Because You have led me astray, I will surely make sin and evil fair-seeming to them on the earth and lead them astray, all of them, except Your sincere servants among them.’”
Allah, the Exalted, also speaks about the reward of the sincere in the Hereafter: «إِلَّا الَّذِينَ تَابُوا وَأَصْلَحُوا وَاعْتَصَمُوا بِاللَّهِ وَأَخْلَصُوا دِينَهُمْ لِلَّهِ فَأُولَئِكَ مَعَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَسَوْفَ يُؤْتِ اللَّهُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَجْرًا عَظِيمًا» [An-Nisa: 146] Translation: “Except for those who repent and make amends and hold fast to Allah and make their religion sincere to Allah, then they will be with the believers, and Allah will soon give the believers a great reward.”
Therefore, one of the most important and fundamental conditions in enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong is sincerity. The caller must lead others to good deeds and forbid evil with all their heart and with pure intention, specifically to gain the pleasure of Allah Almighty. This effort must be regarded as valuable as other acts of worship and performed with complete sincerity. Enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong should not be done for the sake of being seen, for fame, or out of hypocrisy, as Allah Almighty does not accept hypocritical actions. On the contrary, He loves His sincere servants and grants them high positions and valuable rewards on the Day of Judgment. This is why sincerity, alongside carrying out commands and prohibitions for the sake of Allah rather than for worldly and material goals, is considered a crucial condition for enjoining good and forbidding evil.
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