Sincerity and Intentions
Total Hadiths 44
Prophetic Guidance on Purifying Sincerity and Intentions
These authentic traditions emphasize the profound spiritual need to safeguard our inner intentions from the hidden traps of ostentation. The Messenger of Allah warns that individuals who perform good deeds merely to publicize them or create a hypocritical display for human admiration will face a severe consequence, as Allah will publicize their ultimate humility and expose their true motives. According to Islamic scholars, maintaining pure sincerity ensures that acts of worship are directed entirely to the Creator rather than seeking earthly validation. The narrations trace this powerful warning through careful transmission chains, reminding believers to constantly audit their hearts, cultivate genuine sincerity, and diligently protect their daily intentions from the destructive spiritual harm of boasting and showing off.
حَدَّثَنِي زُهَيْرُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ، حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، أَخْبَرَنَا رَوْحُ بْنُ الْقَاسِمِ، عَنِ الْعَلاَءِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ يَعْقُوبَ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " قَالَ اللَّهُ تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى أَنَا أَغْنَى الشُّرَكَاءِ عَنِ الشِّرْكِ مَنْ عَمِلَ عَمَلاً أَشْرَكَ فِيهِ مَعِي غَيْرِي تَرَكْتُهُ وَشِرْكَهُ " .
Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as stating that Allah the Most High and Exalted said: I am the One, One Who does not stand in need of a partner. If anyone does anything in which he associates anyone else with Me, I shall abandon him with one whom he associates with Allah.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 2985In-book reference : Book 55, Hadith 58USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 42, Hadith 7114
حَدَّثَنَا عُمَرُ بْنُ حَفْصِ بْنِ غِيَاثٍ، حَدَّثَنِي أَبِي، عَنْ إِسْمَاعِيلَ بْنِ سُمَيْعٍ، عَنْ مُسْلِمٍ، الْبَطِينِ عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ جُبَيْرٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " مَنْ سَمَّعَ سَمَّعَ اللَّهُ بِهِ وَمَنْ رَاءَى رَاءَى اللَّهُ بِهِ " .
Ibn Abbas reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: If anyone wants to have his deeds widely publicised, Allah will publicise (his humiliation). And if anyone makes a hypocritical display (of his deeds) Allah will make a display of him.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 2986In-book reference : Book 55, Hadith 59USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 42, Hadith 7115
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا وَكِيعٌ، عَنْ سُفْيَانَ، عَنْ سَلَمَةَ بْنِ كُهَيْلٍ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ جُنْدُبًا الْعَلَقِيَّ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " مَنْ يُسَمِّعْ يُسَمِّعِ اللَّهُ بِهِ وَمَنْ يُرَائِي يُرَائِي اللَّهُ بِهِ " .
Jundub reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: He who wants to publicise (his deeds), Allah will publicise (his humility), and he who makes a hypocritical display (of his deeds), Allah will make a display of him.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 2987aIn-book reference : Book 55, Hadith 60USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 42, Hadith 7116
وَحَدَّثَنَا إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، حَدَّثَنَا الْمُلاَئِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، بِهَذَا الإِسْنَادِ وَزَادَ وَلَمْ أَسْمَعْ أَحَدًا غَيْرَهُ يَقُولُ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم .
Sufyan reported this hadith with the same chain of transmitters and he made this addition: " I did not hear anyone saying besides him that it was Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) who had said so."
Reference : Sahih Muslim 2987bIn-book reference : Book 55, Hadith 61USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 42, Hadith 7117
حَدَّثَنَا سَعِيدُ بْنُ عَمْرٍو الأَشْعَثِيُّ، أَخْبَرَنَا سُفْيَانُ، عَنِ الْوَلِيدِ بْنِ حَرْبٍ، - قَالَ سَعِيدٌ أَظُنُّهُ قَالَ ابْنُ الْحَارِثِ بْنِ أَبِي مُوسَى - قَالَ سَمِعْتُ سَلَمَةَ بْنَ كُهَيْلٍ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ جُنْدُبًا، - وَلَمْ أَسْمَعْ أَحَدًا يَقُولُ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم غَيْرَهُ - يَقُولُ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ بِمِثْلِ حَدِيثِ الثَّوْرِيِّ .
Salama b. Kuhail reported: I heard from Jundub, but I did not hear him say this: "I heard Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) saying this."
Reference : Sahih Muslim 2987cIn-book reference : Book 55, Hadith 62USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 42, Hadith 7118
وَحَدَّثَنَاهُ ابْنُ أَبِي عُمَرَ، حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، حَدَّثَنَا الصَّدُوقُ الأَمِينُ الْوَلِيدُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ، بِهَذَا الإِسْنَادِ .
Abu Sufyan reported like that as as-Saduq al-Amin al-Walid b. Harb narrated with the same chain of transmitters.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 2987dIn-book reference : Book 55, Hadith 63USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 42, Hadith 7119
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بِشْرٍ، بَكْرُ بْنُ خَلَفٍ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرٍ الْحَنَفِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْحَمِيدِ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ، عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ حُنَيْنٍ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ " لاَ تُكْثِرُوا الضَّحِكَ فَإِنَّ كَثْرَةَ الضَّحِكِ تُمِيتُ الْقَلْبَ " .
Abu Hurairah Narrated from:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “Do not laugh a lot, for laughing a lot deadens the heart.”
Reference : Sunan Ibn Majah 4193In-book reference : Book 37, Hadith 94English translation : Vol. 5, Book 37, Hadith 4193
حَدَّثَنَا كَثِيرُ بْنُ عُبَيْدٍ الْحِمْصِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا بَقِيَّةُ، عَنْ وَرْقَاءَ بْنِ عُمَرَ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ ذَكْوَانَ أَبُو الزِّنَادِ، عَنِ الأَعْرَجِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ " إِنَّ الْعَبْدَ إِذَا صَلَّى فِي الْعَلاَنِيَةِ فَأَحْسَنَ وَصَلَّى فِي السِّرِّ فَأَحْسَنَ - قَالَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ هَذَا عَبْدِي حَقًّا " .
Abu Hurairah Narrated from:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “If a person prays in public and does it well, and he prays in secret and does it well, then Allah says: ‘This man is truly My slave.’”
Reference : Sunan Ibn Majah 4200In-book reference : Book 37, Hadith 101English translation : Vol. 5, Book 37, Hadith 4200
حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عَامِرِ بْنِ زُرَارَةَ، وَإِسْمَاعِيلُ بْنُ مُوسَى، قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا شَرِيكُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ، عَنْ أَبِي صَالِحٍ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ " قَارِبُوا وَسَدِّدُوا فَإِنَّهُ لَيْسَ أَحَدٌ مِنْكُمْ بِمُنْجِيهِ عَمَلُهُ " . قَالُوا وَلاَ أَنْتَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ . قَالَ " وَلاَ أَنَا إِلاَّ أَنْ يَتَغَمَّدَنِيَ اللَّهُ بِرَحْمَةٍ مِنْهُ وَفَضْلٍ " .
Abu Hurairah Narrated from:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “Be moderate and adhere to moderation, for there is no one among you who will be saved by his deeds.” They said: “Not even you, O Messenger of Allah?” He said: “Not even me. Unless Allah encompasses me with mercy and grace from Him.”
Reference : Sunan Ibn Majah 4201In-book reference : Book 37, Hadith 102English translation : Vol. 5, Book 37, Hadith 4201
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو مَرْوَانَ الْعُثْمَانِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْعَزِيزِ بْنُ أَبِي حَازِمٍ، عَنِ الْعَلاَءِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ قَالَ " قَالَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ أَنَا أَغْنَى الشُّرَكَاءِ عَنِ الشِّرْكِ فَمَنْ عَمِلَ لِي عَمَلاً أَشْرَكَ فِيهِ غَيْرِي فَأَنَا مِنْهُ بَرِيءٌ وَهُوَ لِلَّذِي أَشْرَكَ " .
Abu Hurairah Narrated from:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “Allah says: ‘I am the Most Self-Sufficient and I have no need for an associate. Thus he who does an action for someone else’s sake as well as Mine will have that action renounced by Me to him whom he associated with Me.’”
Reference : Sunan Ibn Majah 4202In-book reference : Book 37, Hadith 103English translation : Vol. 5, Book 37, Hadith 4202
