accepting deeds
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1 Conditions for accepting deeds in the sight of Allah Almighty
In order to have the acts of worship accepted by Allah Almighty so that the servant is rewarded for doing the acts of worship, it must meet two conditions: The first condition: is sincerity to Allah Almighty. Allah Almighty said ( interpretation of the meaning ):
{ And they were not commanded except to worship Allāh, [being] sincere to Him in religion, inclining to truth, and to establish prayer and to give zakāh. And that is the correct religion. }
Quran [ 98 : 5].
What is meant by the sincerity in Islam is: that the servant intends to seek the pleasure of Allah Almighty. with all his outward and inward words and actions Allah Almighty said ( interpretation of the meaning ):
{ And not [giving] for anyone who has [done him] a favor to be rewarded1 But only seeking the face [i.e., acceptance] of his Lord, Most High. }
Quran [ 92 : 19 - 20]
Allah Almighty said ( interpretation of the meaning ) :
{ Whoever desires the harvest of the Hereafter - We increase for him in his harvest [i.e., reward]. And whoever desires the harvest [i.e., benefits] of this world - We give him thereof, but there is not for him in the Hereafter any share. }
Quran [ 42 : 20 ]
Allah Almighty said ( interpretation of the meaning ) :
{ Whoever desires the life of this world and its adornments - We fully repay them for their deeds therein,1 and they therein will not be deprived. Those are the ones for whom there is not in the Hereafter but the Fire. And lost is what they did therein,1 and worthless is what they used to do. }
Quran [ 11 : 15 -16 ].
Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) said:
The Messenger of Allah ( may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him ) said,
"Almighty Allah says, 'I am the One Who is most free from want of partners. He who does a thing for the sake of someone else beside Me, I discard him and his polytheism.."
[Muslim]
The second condition: the deed must be in conformity to the law that Allah Almighty commanded the servants not to worship him except by it, which is to follow the Prophet, may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, in all the instructions he taught us, 'Aishah (May Allah be pleased with her) reported:
The Messenger of Allah ( may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him ) said, "If anyone introduces in our matter something which does not belong to it, will be rejected".
[Al-Bukhari and Muslim]
The Prophet, may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, commanded his followers to stick to and abide by his Sunnah and his guidance. He, peace and blessings be upon him, said: " hold fast to my Sunnah and the examples of the Rightly- Guided Caliphs who will come after me. Adhere to them and hold fast to them. Beware of new things (in Deen) because every Bid'ah is a misguidance".
Every action that is not intended for the sake of Allah Almighty, and not in conformity with the law of Allah and His Messenger will be rejected, then the one who does it will not be rewarded. Anyone who introduces a heresy in Islam will not be accepted from him because Allah his Messenger did not legislate this deed.
(Ibn Al-Qayyim said: Allah made sincerity and following-up the Messenger of Allah Muhammed the criteria for the acceptance of deeds, otherwise deeds will not be accepted)
Allah Almighty said ( interpretation of the meaning ) :
{ [He] who created death and life to test you [as to] which of you is best in deed - and He is the Exalted in Might, the Forgiving }
Quran [ 67 : 2]
Al-Fudail interpreted this verse by saying: " which of you is best in deed means which of you is the most sincere and correct
