What is sincerity (ikhlāṣ) in Islam?

"Sincerity is not complete without truthfulness, nor is truthfulness complete without sincerity. Both require patience to be complete. It is said that if someone sees sincerity in their own sincerity, then their sincerity needs further sincerity. The deficiency of every sincere person in their sincerity is to the extent that they see their own sincerity."

"Consider a man who sits in the city, laboring day and night to learn about the stages of the spiritual path, its obstacles, and its challenges. Another man, driven by passion and sincere intention, embarks on the path and travels it. His sincerity makes him independent of the knowledge of the one sitting, as he experiences the path directly. However, the idea that sincere intention alone can suffice without knowledge of what is lawful and unlawful, the rulings of commands and prohibitions, and the understanding of acts of worship is misguided."

""Those who broke their fast today have taken the reward." As for interpretative concessions based on differences in schools of thought and opinions that may be right or wrong, taking them is considered idleness and contradicts sincerity. §§U0007§§ Chapter: The third degree is sincerity in understanding sincerity. True sincerity, according to the people of distinction, is achieved when the pleasure of the Truth aligns with the servant's actions, state, or time, along with the servant's certainty and intention."

"The first duty of every servant who wishes to obey Allah the Exalted is to learn intention first for the sake of understanding, then to correct it through action after understanding the essence of truthfulness and sincerity, which are the servant's means to salvation and deliverance. We will discuss the meanings of truth and sincerity in three chapters. Chapter One: The Reality of Intention and Its Meaning In this chapter: Explanation of the virtue of intention Explanation of the reality of intention Explanation of how intention is better than action Explanation of the superiority of actions related to the self Explanation of how intention is beyond choice"

"Al-Sousi said: "Sincerity is the absence of seeing sincerity, for anyone who witnesses sincerity in their sincerity needs their sincerity to be sincere. This points to purifying the act from self-admiration, as attention to sincerity itself is vanity and a flaw. The pure is what is free from all flaws. Al-Sahl, may Allah have mercy on him, said: "Sincerity means that the servant's rest and movement are exclusively for Allah."

"Therefore, one must be vigilant and observant of these subtleties, or risk joining the ranks of the devil's followers without realizing it. Explanations of the Statements of the Elders on Sincerity Al-Sousi said: "Sincerity is the absence of seeing sincerity, for anyone who witnesses sincerity in their sincerity needs their sincerity to be sincere."

"Thus, all people are doomed except those who possess knowledge, and those who possess knowledge are doomed except those who act upon it, and those who act upon it are doomed except those who are sincere, and the sincere are in great danger. For action without intention leads to exhaustion, intention without sincerity leads to hypocrisy, equating with disobedience, and sincerity without truth leads to vanity."

"These include sincerity, reliance, love, righteousness, repentance, fear, hope, firm belief, and intention in worship. Intention is an additional degree beyond sincerity, as sincerity involves singling out the worshiped from others. The intention behind acts of worship has two levels. The first is distinguishing acts of worship from habitual actions. The second is distinguishing between the ranks of various acts of worship."

"The correction of intention is achieved through two things: singling out the intended purpose and focusing one's concern entirely on it. The essence of this is the unification of intention and purpose. If one's intention or purpose is divided, it is not correct. The شَيْخ previously expressed this as "an intention that motivates discipline, frees from hesitation, and calls for avoiding rewards." Thus, connection at this level is through this intention."

"and must realize that only sincerity will be accepted in their intention and deed. To intend the House of Allah while the intent is anything but Him is among the gravest of sins. Thus, let one rectify their resolve with sincerity, and sincerity is through avoiding everything tainted by show and reputation. Let them beware of exchanging that which is superior for that which is inferior."