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Sound intentions
Purity of intention and the motive of seeking nearness {qurbah} to God can assume various forms. Of course, some forms are more valuable than others. Some of these forms are as follows:
1. Fear of the Divine Station and Court
Doing good and avoiding evil is sometimes due to fear of hell and hardships on the Day of Resurrection. Regarding the Commander of the Faithful and Hadhrat Fatimah’s (‘a) sincere act of feeding the helpless, the orphan and the prisoner, the Glorious Qur’an states:
 ÅöäøóÇ äóÎóÇÝõ ãöäú ÑóÈøöäóÇ íóæãðÇ ÚóÈõæÓðÇ ÞóãúØóÑöíÑðÇ 
“Indeed we fear from our Lord a day, frowning and fateful.”[1][317]
2. Hope for reward
Divine reward is also a sound intention for worship. The Holy Qur’an has also mentioned in hundreds of verses the pleasures of paradise as a reward for the righteous ones. In numerous traditions, otherworldly rewards for righteous deeds have also been mentioned, and these rewards generate motives in man.
3. Gratitude for blessings
Gratitude for the infinite blessings of God is also one of the righteous intentions in worship. ‘Ali (‘a) has said:
áóæú áóãú íóÊóæóÚøöÏó Çááåõ Úóáìٰ ãóÚúöíóÊöåö áóßÇäó íóÌöÈõ ÇóáÇ íõÚúìٰ ÔõßúÑÇð áöäöÚúãóÊöåö .
“Even if Allah had not warned of chastisement those disobedient to Him, it was obligatory by way of gratitude for his favors that He should not be disobeyed.”[1][318]
4. Modesty {haya’}
Sometimes, the motive for the performance or abandonment of an act is to avoid feeling ashamed before God. When man believes in the Presence of God in the universe and recognizes Him as Witness over him, he will not cheat and commit sins out of respect for God. It is stated in a hadith, thus:
ÃóÚúÈõÏõ Çááåó ßóÃóäøóßó ÊóÑÇåõ¡ ÝóÅöäú áóãú Êßä ÊóÑóÇåõ ÝóÅöäøóåõ íóÑóÇßó .
“Worship God as if you can see Him. Even if you cannot see Him, He can surely see you.”[1][319]
5. Love of God
Those worshippers whose worship is motivated by love and affection and who believe that God is worthy of being worshipped are few and far between. The Commander of the Faithful (‘a) said, as recorded in Nahj al-Balaghah: “A group of people worship God out of desire for reward; this is the worship of traders. Another group worships God out of fear; this is the worship of slaves. Yet another group worships God out of gratitude; this is the worship of free men.”[1][320] About himself he stated in litanies {munajat}: “O God! I found You worthy of worship and I worshipped You.”
On the Day of Resurrection, human beings will be raised up according to their intentions. The Messenger of Allah (S) has said: “Verily, the people will be resurrected on the basis of their intentions.”[1][321]
The university of wisdom {hikmah}
Sincerity {ikhlas} is a quality the practice of which results in wisdom {hikmah} par excellence within a period of forty days, after which an unbelievable stage of insight {basirah} and certainty {yaqin} will be:
ãóäú ÃóÎúáóó ÇáúÚöÈÇÏóÉö ááåö ÃóÑúÈóÚöíúäó óÈÇÍÇð ÙóåóÑÊú íóäÇÈíÚõ ÇáúÍößúãóÉó ãöäú ÞóáúÈöåö Úóáìٰ áöÓÇäöå .
“He who sincerely worships Allah for forty days, springs of wisdom shall flow from his heart to his tongue.”[1][322]
The root of sincerity
The fact that one is suffering from ostentation means that one has not yet attained the stage of certainty {yaqin} and faith.
Imam ‘Ali (‘a) said: “Sincerity is the product of certainty.”[1][323]
It is possible for man to have knowledge of God, the hereafter, spiritual reward, etc. but as long as knowledge has not reached the stage of certainty and faith, it will not have the necessary effect. Everybody knows that the dead are incapable of doing anything, but in spite of this knowledge, so many are afraid of a corpse.
Although a pretender is possibly aware of God, the Day of Resurrection, accountability and the book of deeds, since, his awareness has not reached the stage of certainty he will go away from sincerity. This certainty. is also available through worship. The Holy Qur’an states:
æóÇÚúÈõÏú ÑóÈøóßó ÍóÊøóì íóÃúÊöíóßó ÇáúíóÞöíäõ
“And worship your Lord until certainty (or death) comes to you.”[1][324]
If we are certain that the universe has the Presence of God; that honor and disgrace are in His hand; and that the world and its manifestations are trivial, fleeting and deceptive assets, we will be drawn toward sincerity in action.
Signs of sincerity
There are so many who regard themselves as “sincere” in intention and action, but if they examine themselves closely, they will find ungodly intentions in their actions. Therefore, we shall point out some signs of sincerity on the basis of the Qur’an and hadith:
1. Not expecting anything from others
A pertinent example which the Glorious Qur’an mentions is Hadhrat ‘Ali and Fatimah’s (‘a) act of feeding the needy. Imam al-Hasan and Imam al-Husayn (‘a) fell ill during childhood. The Prophet (S) and a group of the companions went to pay him a visit and recommended to ‘Ali (‘a) to make a vow {nadhr} for their sons’ recovery. ‘Ali and Fatimah (‘a) vowed to fast for three consecutive days if their children recovered.
Their two children recovered by the Grace of God. In fulfillment of their vow, ‘Ali and Fatimah (‘a) fasted. These two personages could hardly find bread to bake at home. At the time of breaking the fast {iftar} on the first day, a blind man came and knocked at their door. They gave him their food, and broke their fast with water.
The same happened on the second and third day. The couple, who had fasted for three days without any food visited the Prophet while turning pale. Surah ad-Dahr (or al-Insan) was revealed about them which points out this sincere act:
ÅöäøóãóÇ äõØúÚöãõßõã áöæóÌúåö Çááåö áÇó äõÑöíÏõ ãöäúßõã ÌóÒóÇÁð æó áÇó ÔõßõæÑðÇ
“{Saying,} ‘We feed you only for the sake of Allah. We do not want any reward from you nor any thanks.”[1][325]
They offered food out of sincerity and solely for the sake of God; feeding the poor was routine with them; they gave the food they liked; they were never tired of guests or beggars nor did they get them annoyed with; and they also did not expect any token of gratitude from them.
It is possible for man to do something sometimes without any monetary benefit, but he would like to advertise what he has done in the community.
Sometimes, a person says that he is not expecting any compensation but his heart actually yearns for it.
Sometimes, if one’s good deeds and activities are not acknowledged, he feels discouraged and annoyed, and if a gesture of gratitude is not rendered, he will nurse a grudge.
These are signs of the absence of sincerity. Sincere is he, in whose performance of duty, criticism and appreciation of the people have no effect, and he fulfills his duty whether the people know it and express appreciation for it, or remain uninformed of it.
2. Focusing on duty, not title
Another sign of sincerity is that one is looking for an action which is necessary, an obligation undone, though it does not entail money, title and fame, and will not increase his welfare, income and social standing; for example, rendering service in deprived regions or small and far-off villages and areas with bad climate, or engage in necessary works which do not have much social prestige but are obligatory.
Once, during my youth, I had classes with children and adolescents. Along the way, if youngsters joined me, I would feel some sense of pride, but if kids followed me, I would feel somewhat embarrassed. I used to pass by a small marketplace. One day, an illiterate old man came out of a store and said to me: “Are you teaching for the sake of God?” I was sure that I was, since I was not receiving money for it, so I confidently replied: “Yes.”
He said: “If you are really teaching for the sake of God, then be aware that the God of children and that of adolescents and youngsters is one and the same, and if they call you “teacher of children” and “children story-teller ” you should not be annoyed.”
The statement of that old man was divine enlightenment for me. It taught me that the Lord of the rich and famous and that of the poor and needy is one and the same. I sincerely wish we all reach such a stage where we consider it equally prestigious to participate in the assembly of the famous and that of the unknown; to study alongside popular personages and unsung individuals; to render service in prestigious centers or common centers; to teach at the simple and elementary level or at a higher level of learning; where we expect honor from God alone and not through money, fame, material assets, hats, and position!
3. Having no regrets
Anyone who works for God and does not expect anything from others will never feel regret if his deeds do not achieve the ideal goal because working for the sake of God leads to rewards, irrespective of their worldly outcome.
If you visit a believer or a sick person for the sake of God, and not find him at home, you are not supposed to regret going because you gained your own reward for it.
If we feel regret everyday for paying respects, entertaining others, rendering services, and offering assistance, we ought to reconsider our “motive of seeking nearness to God”.
4. Treating receptivity and heedlessness as one
In the performance of duty, it should not matter to those sincere whether the people welcome them or treat them with how are no importance. For them, criticism and appreciation are the same. If a person is elated by the reception of the people and discouraged by their heedlessness, it shows a lack of sincerity in him.
Of course, one may justify that being elated is for the reason that the people are gathered in truth, while being discouraged is for the fact that the people are lukewarm with respect to religion and faith. But beyond this justification, one must examine what is in one’s heart.
The Commander of the Faithful (‘a) has said: “The pretender has three signs. If alone, he is languid and indolent. If he is with the people, he has enthusiasm (in worship and action). If he is appreciated by them he works more, but if he is neglected, he works less.”[1][326]
May God relieve us from this sort of dangerous sickness and not make us like those physicians who die of the same ailment of which they are specialists! And may it not happen in spite of writing about sincerity, we depart from this world drenched in pretension {riya’} and polytheism {shirk}!
5. Consistency of motive and action
A sincere person is devoted to divine duty and obligation, and not deterred by conditions and circumstances. He performs his duty constantly and persistently, and does not get tired of repeating it thousands of times. Physical weakness or old age may decrease his labor, but his fervor and motive remain unchanged.
6. Lack of wealth and position does not hinder
For a sincere person, wealth and position are not hindrances in the performance of his duty. He sacrifices his desires and needs, and if necessary, even his life in the fulfillment of his duty. If attachment to wealth, position, relatives, and friends becomes a hindrance to his performance, sincerity will depart. The Holy Qur’an states: “If your fathers and your sons, your brethren, your spouses, and your kinsfolk, the possessions that you have, the business you fear may suffer, and the dwellings you are fond of, are dearer to you than Allah and His Apostle and to waging jihad in His way, then wait until Allah issues His edict.”[1][327]
The sincere person is not a captive of place, time, spouse, residence and his self. He only strives to please God.
It has been narrated that a rider and his horse arrived at a stream. The man did everything, he even whipped the animal but the horse would not step into the water. The man stepped into the water and pulled the horse’s bridle but the horse still refused. A sage who was present there said: “Mount the horse and muddy the water with your stick and spade and them the horse will cross.” He did so and the horse crossed the stream without any problem.
The rider asked the reason for the wise man’s advice. The wise man replied: “As the horse could see its reflection in the limpid water of the stream, it was not willing to step on its face. But since the water was disturbed, the horse crossed the stream!”
Yes, those who are self-centered and inclined toward wealth, position, children and occupation for themselves cannot be sincere, because in the path of sincerity everything must be sacrificed.
7. Oneness of the apparent and the hidden
Under certain circumstances or in the presence of certain people, a person may do certain things that are contrary to his inner and personal state. This is a type of ostentation. ‘Ali (‘a) said: “One who is as honest in his secret activities as in overt deeds and whose words and actions suit, is the person who has faithfully discharged the duty laid down upon him by the Lord, has honestly handed over the things entrusted to him, and has sincerely obeyed Allah only to achieve His favors and blessings.”[1][328]
The sincere person discharges his duty in the way of God without taking into account the satisfaction and pleasure of anyone in particular, and he is also not afraid of any censure:
íõÌóÇåöÏõæäó Ýöí ÓóÈöíáö Çááøåö æóáÇó íóÎóÇÝõæäó áóæúãóÉó áÂÆöãò
“Wage jihad in the way of Allah, not fearing the blame of any blamer.”[1][329]
8. Without factional bigotry
Sincerity leads man to strive untiringly all the time and in, at all places. Without sincerity, however, factional bigotry and partisanship take over. His attachment and prejudice with a certain group might tend to make him active and enthusiastic, however if he becomes respect to biased against, that group he may loses his zeal, and may even retire and seclude himself, or worse, oppose and sabotage it.
A sincere person is not confined and limited to a certain group and does not practice factional bigotry. If he identifies a certain group to be linked with falsehood, he will keep away from it. He keeps himself aloof from group-worship and polytheistic prejudice presented as tribalism, regionalism and factionalism (which are incompatible with the spirit of sincerity).
The Holy Qur’an declares:
æó ÞóÇáóÊö ٱáúíóåõæÏõ áóíúÓóÊö ٱáäøóóÇÑìٰ Úóáìٰ ÔÆò æó ÞóÇáóÊö ٱáäøóóÇÑìٰ áóíúÓóÊö ٱáúíóåõæÏ Úáìٰ ÔÆò
“The Jews say, ‘The Christians stand on nothing,’ and the Christians say, ‘The Jews stand on nothing’.”[1][330]
Of course, if a party, group or organization is on the path of truth, it must be supported. It means that one’s falsehood must not be seen as “truth” while the truth of others must not be reckoned as “falsehood”.
9. Pursuit of important works undone
If there is sincerity and dedication in work, a person will look for necessary and undone works whose absence is felt and nobody has done them as they do not entail fame and money, or are not regarded as important.
Glass, cabinet and curtain are as important for a building, as they are for a bathroom and toilet.
In a table spread, food, meat and others are needed and so is salt. Sincere persons have no inhibition in doing undone works, whether they are small or great, and they believe that sometimes, God blesses and gives great impact to sincerely performed, small good deeds.
When ‘Allamah Sayyid Muhammad Husayn at-Tabataba’i arrived in Qum from the Islamic seminary {hawzah ‘ilmiyyah} in Najaf (in Iraq), he observed that there were a lot of classes on jurisprudence and its principles {fiqh wa usul al-fiqh}, but there was no mention of any lessons in exegesis {tafsir} of the Qur’an or philosophy.
Therefore, he started teaching these two branches of knowledge. Although, out of good intention, some individuals protested, saying that doing so is incompatible with the prestige of the future religious authority {marja‘ at-taqlid}, he continued teaching tafsir and philosophy and considered them expedient and necessary for the Islamic seminary, and he wrote the monumental, Al-Mizan fi Tafsir al-Qur’an.
Yes, divine grace depends on the sincerity of individuals and not on the title of the position that they occupy.
10. Desisting from error
The fact that one persists it error shows his lack of sincerity. If a sincere person realizes that there is a better way, he will desist from the wrong way, or entrust the work to the better worker.
There are so many who are in error for sometime, but when the error is pointed out to them, they are not willing to change for they regard doing so as a sort of defeat. While, persistence in error is an ever more serious defeat. Sincere individuals have a sublime spirit and a great capacity to accept truth, and their magnanimity deters them from yielding to all kinds of dishonorable egoistic actions.
Outcome of sincerity
Man’s sincere connection with God is accompanied by the luminosity of disposition, purity of inner self and insight, which guide him in the twists and turns of life as well as impasses and predicaments.
Imam ‘Ali (‘a) said: “When sincerity enters the heart, it is accompanied by glow and perspicacity.”[1][331]
This is the same “furqan” {criterion} that the Holy Qur’an regards as a result of God-wariness {taqwa}:
Åöä ÊóÊøóÞõæÇú Çááøåó íóÌúÚóá áøóßõãú ÝõÑúÞóÇäÇð
“If you are wary of Allah, He shall appoint a criterion[1][332] for you.”[1][333]
It also argues that if you are conscious of God, He will bestow a light on you which will light your way:
æóíóÌúÚóá áøóßõãú äõæÑðÇ ÊóãúÔõæäó Èöåö
“And give you a light to walk by.”[1][334]
Sincerity, God-wariness and keeping away from carnal desire have an outcome that enhances the clear-sightedness of man and leads him from the darkness of polytheism, ignorance {jahl} and capricious desire to the atmosphere of light, monotheism and knowledge. He who has sincerity will attain felicity and success.[1][335]
Sincerity has extraordinary value and at the same time, it is so difficult. In the supplications at dawn during the month of Ramadhan, Imam as-Sajjad (‘a) prays to God to remove hypocrisy {nifaq} from the heart, and ostentation {riya’} from the act.
In the Du‘a’ al-‘Arafah, Imam al-Husayn (‘a) also beseeches God to bestow sincerity in action.
Sincerity in the context of society
Ideal and valuable sincerity must be in the context of society, among the people, and accompanied by social responsibilities and activities. Some erroneously identify sincerity with isolation and seclusion, away from people. God brings about pure and wholesome milk from food and blood.[1][336] The sincere person must also keep himself pure in the midst of an impure and corrupt environment, and free his actions from ostentation, and succeed. Such sincerity is valuable and important.
The sincere person {mukhlis} sets himself at the disposal of God, makes his heart the sanctuary of this love, and allows divine motives to guide all his actions and behavior, and in doing so, he attains honor and nobility.
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