The Importance of Ikhlas and the Calamity of Riya’
The sole condition for acts of worship and all good deeds to be accepted by Allah is ikhlas (sincerity). An act performed without ikhlas is like a body without a soul, or an empty shell. Intending only to show off to the people by wearing a Sufi cloak is no different in essence from the zunnar that Zoroastrians used to tie around their waists. A person who performs acts of worship outwardly appearing as if for Allah but awaits the praise of others in his heart bears the mark of hypocrisy and gains nothing but weariness. For the beauty of deeds should be solely due to fulfilling the obligation of servitude, not for a pre-emptive desire or showing off.
Levels and Development of Ikhlas
Ikhlas is a quality that deepens according to the spiritual station of the servant. To truly attain ikhlas, which is the spirit of knowledge and action, it is necessary to uproot everything other than Allah (all that is not Allah) from the heart. The ikhlas of those progressing on the Sufi path differs according to the degrees of the righteous (ebrahim) and those close to Allah (muqarrabin). The ikhlas of the group of the righteous is trusting in their own selves while concealing their deeds from people; the ikhlas of the muqarrabin, however, is observing every action with the power and might of Allah and seeing no existence within themselves. This second station is the highest level of sincerity in tawhid (oneness of God).
Seeking Only the Pleasure of Allah
A person who desires the pleasure of Allah should not pay attention to whether people accept or reject it. A servant with ikhlas takes a blessing not for worldly gain, but for the true Owner of that blessing, Malik (the Sovereign). He seeks the essence in the sight of the Creator (Halik), not the shell in the hands of people. As Jesus (peace be upon him) said, “Good deeds are those whose praise is not sought.” When a servant abandons all worldly or egoistic share in his actions and performs every deed solely for Allah, he attains the secret, “No deed would be worthy of acceptance unless it had His beautiful covering,” and tastes true servitude.