Sincerity: The Path to Safety and Happiness – By Abu ‘Iyād Amjad Rafīq – Masjid As-Sunnah An-Nabawiyyah Mini Conference

All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of all creation—and may He extol the Messenger in the highest company of Angels, and grant him peace and security—likewise to his family, Companions, and true followers.

[25/02/2024] Sincerity: The Path to Safety and Happiness – By Abu ‘Iyād Amjad Rafīq حفظه الله. Masjid As-Sunnah An-Nabawiyyah Mini Conference, Aston, Birmingham, UK.

Some points discussed during this lesson:

• The two levels of ikhlāṣ.
• The unified goal of all the people of the world, and the only way to truly achieve it.
• Ibn Taymiyyah (رحمه الله) on the foundation of happiness.
• Ibn Kathīr (رحمه الله) on that which constitutes a good life.
• Ibn Taymiyyah (رحمه الله) on how to remain happy in your dealings with the creation.
• The happiness and contentment of Shaykhul-Islām Ibn Taymiyyah (رحمه الله) despite being oppressed and imprisoned multiple times.
• The consequences of not having sincerity in worship and in dealing with the people. 
• Ibn Taymiyyah (رحمه الله) on the reason for all evil in the world that is specific to the servant, and the reason for the servant’s happiness.
• Ibn al-Qayyim (رحمه الله) on that which closes the doors of evil.
• Ibn al-Qayyim (رحمه الله) on the signs of happiness.
• Measuring ourselves to see whether we are from the people of happiness or wretchedness. 
• What it means to have ikhlāṣ.
• Fuḍayl b. ‘Iyāḍ (رحمه الله) on shirk, riyā and ikhlāṣ.
• Allāh’s command to make the religion purely and sincerely for Him.
• The trial of wanting to be seen and praised by the people. 
• Ibn Rajab (رحمه الله) on the one who deserves hatred and punishment from Allāh.
• Sufyān ath-Thawrī (رحمه الله) on the difficulty of treating one’s intention.
• Aḥādīth regarding there being no reward for the one who performs actions for other than Allāh (سبحانه وتعالى). 
• The requirement of ikhlāṣ for every action.
• Examples of seemingly trivial actions that lead to forgiveness and entrance into Jannah due to ikhlāṣ.
• The superiority of small actions with pure intention over a great deal of actions with dubious/mixed intention. 
• Statements from ‘Umar b. al-Khaṭṭāb (رضى الله عنه), Dāwūd aṭ-Ṭā’ī, Yaḥyā b. Abī Kathīr and Zabīd al-Yāmī (رحمهم الله) regarding the virtue of having pure intention. 
• The fruits of ikhlāṣ and how it safeguards a person from trials.
• Abū Bakr al-‘Ayyāsh (رحمه الله) on the reason Abū Bakr aṣ-Ṣiddīq (رضى الله عنه) preceded the other Companions.
• ‘Abdullāh b. al-Mubārak (رحمه الله) on the magnification of reward for a trivial/small action and the diminishing of reward for a great action.
• Means of attainting happiness, safety and protection from Shayṭān and things that corrupt the intention:
• 1. Du’ā to Allāh.
• 2. Concealing our (righteous) actions. 
• 3. Comparing ourselves to the deeds of the righteous who are superior to us.
• 4. Belittling our actions.
• 5. Fearing that our actions will not be accepted by Allāh (سبحانه وتعالى). 
• 6. Not being affected by the speech (praise) of the people.
• 7. Remembering that it is not the people who are going to give us Paradise or Hellfire. 
• 8. Remembering that we are going into the grave alone.

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