The Moral Stories

The Value of Sincerity of Purpose

A story is told of a man who approached three workers who were doing the same job. "What are you doing?" he asked each one of them separately and got different answers.

"I am cutting the stones" replied the first.

"I am earning my livehood" replied the second.

"I am building a mosque" replied the third.

Each of the three workers saw himself linked to a different purpose each, one was to that extent, different from others, although all worked alike and were engaged in the same task.

Our two hands with which we work are in no sense different from the hands of any other person. The value of what we do depends upon the quality of the inner purpose in our heart with which we do our work. A true Muslim works to earn God's pleasure.

In the words of Imam Khomeini (ra), the ultimate criterian in evaluating men's deeds is the intent and the purpose of the doer rather than the external shape of people's acts. Sincerity of purpose and God-fearing motivation behind a Muslim's deeds were the principle feature which distinguished his deeds from those of non-believers.

Islamic history provides glaring examples of how Muslims in minority ultimately triumphed over their enemies in much greater number and better equipped because of their faith and sincerity of their purpose.....

Islam has emphasized the purity of intent before every act of virtue. Hence of the conditions provided for IBADAT (acts of worship) the most important and the primary one is IKHLAS (sincerity of purpose). Not only one draws farther from Allah but he is discarded from divine blessings in acts where purity of intent is lacking. The following ayats in the Holy Quran provide a good guidance on the subject:

"Say: I am commanded that I should serve Allah, being sincere to Him in obedience." (39:11)

"And call on Him being sincere to Him in obedience". (7:29) What do we really mean by IKHLAS - the purity of purpose?

When one embarks upon worship of Allah or does any act of virtue, he is required to discard all wordly thoughts from his mind and cast his full concentration towards Allah.

He is expected to feel dependent on none but Allah for all his wordly needs and put his trust in Him as the primary source of all blessings and reward. He is desired to throw his full weight in praying for all his lawful needs from Him. His sole aim for every act of virtue should be to seek not worldly gains but the pleasure of Allah.

What is the effect and outcome of IKHLAS - the purity of purpose? Numerous instances can be quoted of the lasting effect and fruitful outcome of actions and work done with absolute purity of purpose - for the pleasure of Allah and Him alone. The following story should serve a good example.

It is related that when Prophet Adam landed on this earth from Heaven, all kinds of creatures came forward to pay their respects and welcome him on earth. To each one of them, Adam gave his blessings according to its qualification.

When a flock of gazelles came forward to pay their respects, he gave his blessings and patted them by passing his holy hand over their backs. The lasting effect of this was the growth of navel-bag of musk (a black substance well known for producing a good perfume).

When they returned home, another flock of gazelle on seeing the gift of musk asked them where they had got it from. They explained that Prophet Adam had patted them and passed his holy hand over their backs, in appreciation of their visit to him. The result was the growth of the navel-bag of musk.

This second flock of gazelle thought they too should get the gift. With this aim, they went and offered their salams and respects before Adam. The Prophet acknowledged and passed his hand over their backs also. But this time it showed no effect of producing the navel-bag of musk. They were naturally disappointed.

On their return home, they inquired the reason for this and were told that it was because of lack of purity of intent and purpose. Their visit to Prophet Adam was for specific aim of reward of the naval-bag of musk whereas the first flock had paid the visit solely for the pleasure of Allah without any thought for reward.

Today the musk producing creatures are the progeny of that very first flock of gazelles.

LOVE FOR ALLAH AND FOR HIS SAKE ONLY.

Muslims should begin giving Islamic education to their children from their very tender age.

Ali (A.S.) delighted in company of his children. Once he was sitting in his house with his two young children, Abbas, his son, and Zainab, his daughter.

Ali (A.S.) said to Abbas, "Say 'WAHED'" (meaning 'ONE' in-Arabic). The boy uttered "WAHED". Ali (A.S.) then asked him to say "ISNAIN" (Two). Abbas replied, "I feel ashamed to utter 'two' from the same tongue which just said 'ONE'." Ali (A.S.) hugged his son, pleased at such a charming expression.

Such a reply from Abbas indicated how deeply devoted he was in his belief in Tawheed - Oneness of God. That true and staunch believer in one God never likes to even imagine any association with One God.

Zainab then asked, "Dear father, do you love me?", he said, "Yes, of course, my children are like part of my heart". On hearing this, she said, "You also love God.

How can two loves be accomodated in one heart of a true believer, the love of Allah and that of children?" Ali (A.S.) smiled and replied, "Love God and for the sake of His love, you love His creatures - children and fellow beings too. I love you for the sake of Allah."

Such deep thinking and words of true Tawheed on Zainab's part, pleased her father and he gave her much praise and affection.

Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.) once saw a young boy. He was gazing at the Prophet in such a way as his eyes and face indicated deep love and reverence. This attracted the Prophet who went and stood near him. He asked him, "My son, tell me, do you love me?".

The boy replied, "Yes, Oh the messenger of Allah, by Allah I do love you indeed"

Prophet: "Do you love me to the extent of your two eyes?"

Boy:"I do so more than my two eyes"

Prophet: "Do you love your father more than myself?"

Boy:"Oh Prophet, my love for you is more than that for my father."

Prophet: "Do you love me to the extent you do your mother?"

Boy:"I love you more than even my mother"

Prophet: "Let me see, do you love me to the extent of your own life?" Boy:"Oh Prophet! Allah witness that I love you, even more than my own life"

The Prophet was deeply moved at this reply and expressed his affection for him. Then he asked:

"Tell me, do you love me to the extent you do Allah?"

At this juncture, the boy smiled and said "ALLAH - ALLAH - ALLAH". That Allah is loved more than anybody else. Neither you Prophet nor anybody can be loved more than Allah. Even if the Prophet is loved more than others; It is FOR THE SAKE OF ALLAH.

So moving were the words of the boy that everyone hearing this was much impressed. The Prophet turned to his companions and said, "You must be like this boy. Love Allah for all his blessings bestowed upon you. And love me for HIS sake and obey me."

The Holy Qura'n describing those in love of Allah says:

"And those who believe are stronger in love for Allah ". (2:165)

CONSEQUENCES OF INGRATITUDE TOWARDS ALLAH'S BOUNTIES.

Allah is Rahman, the compassionate and looks after the welfare of all the creatures in the world. People should all the time thank Him for His kindness. In the past there existed a thriving town at some place in the Middle East on the bank of a river known as Baliyan.

These people were blessed with Allah's bounties and were extremely wealthy. It was the time of ignorance and people lived according to their whims. Ignorance is a disease and coupled with wealth, it may corrupt the mind and morals.

Drunk with affluence these people had lost their common sense and resorted to very lowly and filthy habits. Food was so abundant that they lost all respect for it and they used bread as sponge to clean things.

Almighty Allah, sent to them Propnet Daniel inorder to preach and guide them on the right path. But so deeply arrogant and intoxicated they had become with their wealth, and so busy they were in extravagant enjoyment of their riches that they would not listen to him.

Prophet Daniel explained and warned them not to treat God's bounties with ingratitude lest they be punished with His wrath and suffer shortages of food and absence of rains. In response they jeered at him and argued that they had enormous surplus grains and foods which often was left to rot in the fields.

So gross was their negligence and ingratitude towards God's bounties that even a poor man had no respect for a loaf of bread. Once when a beggar came to Prophet Daniel to beg for food he gave him a piece of bread. He threw it away in total disrespect saying that it was useless as their king used to clean the lowly parts of the body with it.

Prophet Daniel became extremely frustrated and angry. He prayed to Allah for His wrath and punishment to overtake these people. Consequently divine wrath descended on them. Rains stopped and not a drop of water fell for seven years. All their rivers and springs dried up.

so extremely short of food and water they became that they started eating the very unclean and stinking pieces of loaves they had thrown away. They would scramble over a dead animal, they had lost all the pleasure and peace of mind. Such were the harsh consequences of their misdeeds and ingratitude.

Shortage of food had become so acute that once two women went to Prophet Daniel to resolve their mutual dispute. They mentioned that they had earlier decided that each would slaughter her child in turn and they would eat its flesh. One of them had already done so but the other woman was now trying to find an excuse to back out from her pledge and refused to slaughter her child.

On hearing this story, Prophet Daniel wept at the turn of events and the pathetic situation of those people. Prophet Daniel deeply moved by this pathetic situation raised his hands in the supplication to Allah and prayed for the resumption of rains and His blessings so that those people may be freed from want and hunger. The wayward people had got chastisement.

The lessons we derive from the above story are:

  1. When people of a place are blessed with extreme wealth and prosperity they tend to feel independent of Allah and turn their back in rebellion against His commands. They display ingratitude against His blessings by misusing them and indulge in extravagant spending in unlawful enjoyments.

  2. As a result of the people's ungrateful and rebellious attitude, they attract divine punishment in the form of wrath such as lack of rain, oppression by unjust rulers, natural calamity and disaster, and absence of mental peace and security.

The holy Quran has drawn our attention on the subject in the following ayat:

"And Allah sets forth a parable: (Consider) a town safe and secure to which its means of subsistence come in abundance from every quarter; but it became ungrateful to Allah's favors, therefore Allah made it to taste the utmost degree of hunger and fear because of what they wrought." (16:112)