Sincerity
- Updated On Friday, 15 August 2014
- Written by Ayatullah Ibrahim Amini
- Editor Kawther Rahmani
- Supervisor Sayyed Roohullah Musavi
- Published on Wednesday, 07 July 2010
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The position of sincerity has been described as one of the highest stages of a wayfarer's gnostic journey and the attainment of self perfection. It is because of sincerity that the heart becomes the center of illumination for Divine light, whereby wisdom and knowledge, flowing from the heart, manifest themselves through the tongue. The Holy Prophet (S) has said: 'Whoever devotes himself sincerely for God-Almighty for a period of forty days, streams of wisdom flowing from his heart will appear upon his tongue.' (1) The Commander of the Faithful Imam Ali (as) said: "Where are those who performed their deeds with sincerity for God-Almighty, and purified their hearts so that they could absorb God's special attention towards them." (2) Lady Fatimah al-Zahra (A), the daughter of the Holy Prophet (s), has said: "Whoever engages in pure and sincere worship purely for God-Almighty, He too reciprocates by bestowing upon Him His best favors.' (3) The Commander of the Faithful Imam Ali (as) has said: 'Pure hearts of believers are reserved for Glorious God's special attention, therefore, whoever purifies his heart will certainly be blessed with God's special attention.' (4) The Holy Prophet (S) narrated a tradition from Archangel Gabriel who heard it from God-Almighty who said: 'Sincerity is a mystery from my mysteries and whoever is loved by me, I will deposit it in his heart.' (5) Sincerity consists of various grades and degrees; the lowest grade of sincerity is when a believer performs all his worship strictly for the sake of God-Almighty, free from all traces of polytheism, hypocrisy and ostentation. This much amount of sincerity is a must for the correctness of worship, and without it the wayfarer will not be able to receive God's Nearness. The worth of a deed depends upon pure intentions and sincerity, free from all traces of polytheism and dissimulation. The Holy Prophet (S) has said: 'God-Almighty does not look at your faces and deeds rather he looks inside your hearts.' (6) Imam al-Sadiq (as) has said: 'God-Almighty said: "I am the best partner for You, and whosoever associates with me someone else in his deeds, then I will hand over the entire deed to that associate, because I do not accept but pure and sincere deeds.' (7) Also, he said: 'On the Day of Judgment, God-Almighty will associate people in accordance with their intentions.' (8) The Commander of the Faithful Imam Ali (as) has said: 'How lucky is the one who worships and prays only for the sake of God-Almighty, who does not engage his heart in whatsoever is seen by his eyes, who does not forget God's remembrance because of whatsoever enters into his ears and does not become envious in seeing things bestowed upon others.' (9) He also said: 'Sincerity in deeds is an indication of the perfomer's salvation and prosperity.' (10)
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References:
(1)- Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 70, p. 242. (2)- Gharar al-Hukm, p. 172. (3)- Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 70, p. 249. (4)- Gharar al-Hukm, p. 538. (5)- Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 70, p. 249. (6)- Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 70, p. 248. (7)- Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 70, p. 243. (8)- Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 70, p. 209. (9)- Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 70, p. 229. (10)- Gharar al-Hukm, p. 43.