Sincerity in Islam - 10 Islamic Quotes on Sincerity & Ikhlas

Sincerity in Islam, by definition means to be absent of deceit, lies, and hypocrisy. To abstain from pretense or hollowness in all modes of life. Sincerity can pertain to oneself and be an inner dilemma and an exercise of self-scrutiny over thoughts and beliefs or can pertain to our actions and treatment of others.

Dishonesty is not always directed at others but can be self-directed as well.

What Is Ikhlaas?

The Arabic word for sincerity is Ikhlaas. There is a Surah (chapter) of Quran, Number 112, named “Ikhlaas”. The Arabic root of the word ikhlas is kh-l-s, which means to be purified, refined or polished. It implies that Ikhlaas is the concept of leaving nothing but the very essence of what was sought, which in this case is Allah (SWT).

Ikhlas has also been termed a simile that is as pure as honey or as refined as milk, which implies Ikhlaas to be pure and not tainted. More specifically, Ikhlaas means not to be tainted with and free of pride in every thought and action, and being mindful and seeking only Allah.

The reason Surah 112 is referred to as Surah Ikhlaas commonly is because of the Surah’s sincere description of Allah’s Oneness or Tawheed. It helps us to better understand the nature and majesty of Allah and purifies our beliefs and understandings.

Sincerity in Intention

We might emphasize sincerity in action and technical and mechanical aspects of worship, but the most critical form of sincerity is perhaps sincerity in intentions. It has excellent weightage in our religion. You should also go through our previous post regarding the Islamic Quotes On Hypocrisy.

The right intention is the foundation of everything we do in Islam. The intent behind them will judge all acts of worship, charity, or good deed. Allah knows the secrets within our hearts, and those secrets will be made known on the day of judgment.

Sincerity in intentions is an active and constant effort of refinement and purification and is a battle against one’s own inner evils. Sincere actions and deeds are not encouraged as a virtue. But a necessary pre-requisite for any deed’s acceptance and insincerity and hypocrisy in thought and action is discouraged and is punishable in the eyes of Allah.

Characteristics and Qualities of a Sincere Person

A sincere or Mukhliss person would be sincere in faith, action, and intention while being mindful of the hereafter. The Prophets (peace be upon Them) were the highest level of Ikhlaas/sincerity among human beings. Therefore they were the closest to Him. Because of their sincerity, they were engaged in the most accurate act. Their deeds resulted in good, and they indeed turned to Allah in all their deeds.

Therefore, to understand the characteristics of a sincere person, one must turn to the examples of the Prophets and learn from their accounts. An important characteristic of a sincere person is their duality in their approach to Allah. And the intricate balance of the two sides. They are in a near-constant state of fear of Allah.

They are also close to Him in love. The balance between these two attitudes guides and protects them and purifies them. In reward of having these characteristics, Allah fills the life of a Muslim with goodness.

They are also not in denial of the hereafter and have good faith in its coming and the signs pointing to it. They, however, do not expect heaven or hell. They expect both fair judgment and mercy from Allah and strike a fine line between the hopelessness of inevitable judgment and the pride of guaranteed salvation.

How to Attain Sincerity in Islam?

The first step to attain sincerity in Islam would be to focus on and be sincere in your private and public life. Allah does not like hypocrisy. Being hypocritical when conducting activities in public as compared to in private taints your heart. It makes you think over time and forget that Allah is always watching. This will help you hold yourself accountable.

You should ask Allah for sincerity. After all, who better to help guide you than Allah. Prayers regarding material interests might not be answered when one likes them to be, but Allah will always guide you if you want closeness with him. It would be best if you hid your good deeds, as not to become boastful and egotistical. Here are some more Islamic Quotes on Charity.

One should never consider their good deeds as tremendous and be mindful that whatever you do in itself is meaningless and of no value and is only of importance in Allah’s eyes due to His mercy and kindness.

And one should shy away and abstain from praise, for it can Weaken One’s Faith And Make Us Forget Our Dependency On Allah.

Importance of Sincerity in Islam

Sincerity in Islam has been given a divine status. The religion of Islam has put great emphasis on being sincerer as a Muslim. Every deed that is done to earn “sawaab” is based upon the sincerity of intention. Even if someone is not perfect in his/her actions. If the person is sincerer with the actions, the job is done.

Benefits of Sincerity

There are numerous benefits of sincerity in Islam. These benefits can help Muslims achieve loyalty in Allah’s service.

There are countless rewards allocated for a person who is sincere in his duty.

Sincerity surrounds a person with goodness and eliminates sin from his/her life.

Sincerity is associated with being faithful in Islam.

Repentance by an individual is only accepted when the person is sincere in the intention of it, that’s why Allah has encouraged people who are sincere with their repentance.

Allah accepts all the deeds which are done with sincerity.

Islamic Quotes on Sincerity

Here’s a collection of some of the most beautiful Islamic Quotes on Ikhlas and sincerity:

Conclusion

Sincerity is a virtue, a process, a practice, and an active effort, and only by holding on to it can we truly succeed. In Islam, Allah has put emphasis on being sincere as a Muslim as it has major bounties for them in the afterlife.

Similarly – there are numerous benefits of being sincere towards your religion. Allah rewards and accepts the repentance of every individual, who performs the duty with sincerity.