Imam to Muslims: Uphold Sincerity in Acts of Worship
Good deeds are accepted by Allah only when they are done with pure intentions, Sheikh Qomardeen Yunus Akorede
By Sadiq Abdulfatah
The Chief Imam of Al-Hiddayyah Central Mosque in Olambe, Ogun State, Sheik Qomardeen Yunus Akorede, has called on the Muslim Ummah to uphold sincerity in their acts of worship, stressing that good deeds are accepted by Allah only when they are done with pure intention and in accordance with the teachings of the Prophet. The message, which aims at highlighting the importance of Ikhlas (sincerity) in all forms of devotion and daily conduct, was disclosed on Saturday during a Ramadan lecture held at the mosque.
Speaking at the lecture, Sheik Qomardeen stresses that Allah has created mankind to worship Him alone without associating partners or seeking the admiration of others. “They were not commanded except to worship Allah, being sincere to Him in religion, inclining to truth, and to establish prayer and give zakah. And that is the correct religion, he quoted from the Qur’an (98:5). He also explains that intention remains the foundation upon which every act of worship is judged, citing a well-known hadith of the noble prophet that emphasizes the central role of intention in all human actions, which states, “Actions are judged by intentions, and every person will have only what they intended,” adding that the narration seeks to explain how a deed that appears good on the outside may lose its reward if it is carried out for the wrong reasons.
The scholar also explained that for any deed to be accepted by Allah, two key conditions must be fulfilled, which are sincerity of intention and adherence to the Sunnah of the Prophet, making reference to Qur’an (39:2), which says, “Indeed, We have sent down to you the Book in truth. So worship Allah, being sincere to Him in religion, adding that if a person performs a deed without sincerity or does not follow the example of the Prophet, the reward of that act may not be accepted. ”.
The cleric then urges the Muslim Ummah to stay away from engaging in the act of worship only to gain worldly recognition from others, describing it as show-off and not a true act of worship, stating that people perform acts of charity publicly only to impress others rather than to please
The cleric therefore urged Muslims to prioritize good deeds that are done quietly and without seeking public attention. “Shaitan loves whoever loves to show off their deeds,” he said, warning people against announcing their acts of charity and worship.
The Imam therefore calls on wealthy members of the community to always remember to give out to the needy for the sake of Allah rather than for a public recognition, which he cites from the Qur’an (76:9), which narrates that “We feed you only for the sake of Allah.” We desire from you neither reward nor thanks.” He further stresses that maintaining sincerity can sometimes be difficult for believers, particularly when good deeds are publicly visible.
He mentioned that the way for Muslims to strengthen their sincerity is through constant supplications and prayer to the Almighty Allah, adding that Allah alone wields the power to guide and purify the hearts of people.
The cleric therefore urged Muslims to renew their intentions at the beginning, during, and after every act of worship or good deed and rely on Allah in all situations while doing good to fellow human beings, stating that one should perform acts of kindness only with the aim of pleasing Allah. He concluded by reminding the congregation that sincerity remains a fundamental principle in Islam and a key factor in determining whether a person’s deeds will be accepted.
Source: The Nation
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