brighten
seeker of knowledge
In Search Of Sincerity
In one of the battles that the Muslims waged against the Romans, the Muslims - under the commandment of Maslamah (rahimahullaah) - surrounded a city that had a tall and well-fortified wall. The siege went on for months.
Then one night, one of the Muslim soldiers came to General Maslamah and told him of a hole that he had accomplished to bore through the wall. "It is only large enough for a slim soldier." He knelt closer. "Quickly, send with me someone who can squeeze through and fight the army on the inside until he has opened the gates for all of us to enter."
Maslamah sent out the news, and that night someone volunteered. In a sweeping assault, the gate was opened and the Muslims were victorious.
Maslamah, overwhelmed with happiness, sent out the word that the soldier that entered the hole should come forward. No one showed. A day passed and the request was repeated. Another day, then another. No one arrived to take credit.
On the fourth day, a soldier approached Maslamah, his face wrapped in a scarf. He said to him, "I have news of the soldier that entered the hole."
Maslamah sat up sharp, "Tell me who it is?"
"First, however," said the soldier, "he has three conditions before exposing himself. Do you agree to this?"
"Of course," Maslamah said.
"The first is that you do not try to compensate him for what he did. The second is that you do not tell anyone who he is. And the third is that you shall not ask for his presence ever again. Do you agree to these conditions?"
"It is agreed," Maslamah said.
The soldier, uncovering his scarf, said, "It is I. I went through that hole only for the sake of Allah." Then, turning, he walked away.
After that day, Maslamah was often heard praying to Allah, "O Allah, (on the Day of Resurrection) grant me companionship with the soldier of the hole."
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The ingredient that we all need to work on throughout our lives as Muslims is Ikhlaas (sincerity).
Sincerity in all we do is a commandment of Allah:
[Say, "Indeed my prayer, my rites of sacrifice, my living and my dying are for Allah, Lord of the worlds. No partner has He. And this I have been commanded, and I am the first (among you) of the Muslims."] Surah Al-An'aam 6/162,163
[And they were not commanded except to worship Allah, sincere to Him in religion, inclining to truth, and to establish prayer and to give Zakah. That is the correct Deen.] Surah Bayyinah 98/5
In defining Ikhlaas, Al-Jurjaani - rahimahullaah - said that it is to not seek any audience for your deeds other than Allah.
Dear brothers and sisters, we must understand that there are certain things that contradict our Ikhlaas to Allah. Of these things are three, Reyaa', Sum'ah and 'Ujb.
Ibn Al-Mubaarak - rahimahullaah - said, "Perhaps a great deed is belittled by an intention. And perhaps a small deed, by a sincere intention, is made great."
Ibn Al-Qayyim - rahimahullaah - said, "Deeds without sincerity are like a traveler who carries in his water-jug dirt. The carrying of it burdens him and it brings no benefit."
May Allah Ta'ala make us all from those whose deeds are done in accordance with the Sunnah, deeds that are done sincerely for the sake of Allah.