Correctness and Intention
Contributor:
Coverage:
Creator: Abû 'Âliyah Surkhîl ibn Anwar Sharîf
Date:
Description:
Format: text
Identifier: http://www.sunnahonline.com/ilm/sunnah/0041.htm
Language: en
Publisher:
Relation:
Rights:
Source:
Subject: character
Title: Correctness and Intention
Created on: Wed Dec 26 14:18:42 -0500 2007
Updated on: Wed Dec 26 14:18:42 -0500 2007
Version: 1
Abstract: ... 8:5] The Prophet sallallâhu 'alayhi wa sallam said that Allâh - the Blessed, the Most High - said: "I am so self-sufficient that I am in no need of having partners. Thus, whoever does an action for someone else's sake as well as Mine, will have that action rejected by Me to him who he associated with Me." [13] Thus, if a person does an action, then even if he performs it according to the Sunnah, but he does it so that people may speak well about him, his action thereby becomes null and void. If the deed just became void then the following hadîth would apply in such a case: "How many fasting people obtain nothing from their fast except hunger and thirst and how many people stay up at night (praying) obtain nothing from their fast except sleeplessness and tiredness." [14] However, this is not the case. For this person's action has turned into a sin, since he acted without intending to seek only the face of Allâh, thus associating partners Shirk along with Allâh in his action. [15] Success for the Muslims - individuals and groups - will not be attained except when actions are carried out with Sincerity, following the Sunnah, upon the Path (Sabîl) of the Pious Predecessors (as-Salaf us-Sâlihîn) as Ubayy ibn Ka'b (d.22H) - radiallâhu 'anhu - said: "Adhere to the Sabîl and Sunnah - who remembers the Most-Merciful and his eyes swell up with tears due to the fear of Allâh - except that he will never be touched by the fire. Indeed moderation in the Sabîl and Sunnah is better than exertion in opposition to it." [16] And our final supplication is that all praise belongs to Allâh - Lord of the Worlds. 1. All quotes are translations of the meanings of the Qur'ân. 2. Ibn Kathîr - rahimahullâh - says in his Tafsîr Qur'ân al-'Adhîm (3/112): "It (the âyah) is general regarding everyone who worships Allâh in an unacceptable way, thinking that he is correct in it and his action is correct in it and that his action is acceptable, whereas he is in error and his action his rejected." 3. Part of a lengthy piece of advice by 'Alî (d.40H) radiallâhu 'anhu to Kumail ibn Ziyâd - as is reported by Abû Nu'aym al-Asbahânî in Hilyatul-Awliyâ (1/79-80). From the principles of correction and reformation - O noble reader - as mentioned by Ibn al-Qayyim in Lighâthatul-Luhfân (p.397), is that: "The foundation of all good as knowledge and Justice and the foundation of all evil is ignorance and Oppression." Thus the one involved in Da'wah and reformation must have adequate Sharî'ah Knowledge, or else more harm will occur than good - as the saying of old goes: Sa'd brought the camels leading them. O Sa'd - that is not the way to bring in camels! 4. Ibn Kathîr says in his Tafsîr (3/114): "So - for an action to be acceptable it has to fulfil two conditions. Firstly: It must be sincere for Allâh alone. Secondly: It must be correct in accordance with the Sharî'ah. So if the action is sincere, but not correct, it will not be acceptable." 5. al-Lâlikâ'î relates in his Sharh Usûl I'tiqâd Ahl us-Sunnah wal-Jamâ'ah that Sa'îd ibn Jubayr (d.95H) - rahimahullâh - said: "No word is acceptable except with action and no action is acceptable except with words and no word nor action are acceptable except with intention and no word, action or intention is acceptable except when it confirms to the Sunnah." 6. Sahîh - related by Muslim (2564), Ibn Mâjah (4143) and Ahmad (2/285) - from Abû Hurayrah radiallâhu 'anhu. The wording with Muslim is: " ... your bodies nor your faces ... " 7. Imâm al-Barbahârî (d.329H)- the Imâm of Ahl us-Sunnah wal-Jamâ'ah of his time - says in his Kitâb Sharh as-Sunnah: "And know - may Allâh have mercy upon you - that the Dîn came from Allâh - the Blessed and Most High - and was not left to the intellect and opinions of men - and knowledge of it is with Allâh and His Messenger. So do not follow anything based upon your desires and so deviat... [Full Article...]
