Ikhlas - A Matter of the Heart

Ikhlas – a word of Arabic origin which means sincerity and purity of intention. To Muslims, it is the core of every intention, the most important value that one should have and yet, the most difficult to achieve and pass on to our children.

How do we ensure that we are always ikhlas in everything that we do? How do we teach our children to be ikhlas? Just when we do our jobs, do we really do them out of sincerity or in expectation of some rewards in the future?

I have been thinking a lot on this, about being ikhlas. Am I being ikhlas when I say I want to do something or am I expecting some kind of reward? When we want our children to study, do we want them to study to get good grades or do we want them to study because it is the right thing to do? A complex issue don’t you think? At times, it may even be confusing.

I guess it all boils down to your inner-self, your heart. Frankly, as a flawed individual, I have done many things not out of sincerity. And on hind side, I wished I did. Because I realise that if we do something out of the pureness of our heart, we free ourselves from the burden of expecting rewards. We don’t get upset when we don’t get anything in return. We did it because we want to, and with no strings attached. And if we get some reward, it is pure bonus.

An almost perfect example is the jobs that we have. We work hard because we want our boss to notice so that we can be promoted and so we can have a higher income and live a more luxurious life. We look forward to getting something in return for the act that we do – motivational factors. But if we don’t get that reward, we feel disappointed, upset. Sometimes we even lose hope. So expecting something in return IS a real burden and it keeps us away from our main focus.

I may come across as an idealist (most probably a foolish one to some) if I say that the best job is usually done by someone who actually does it not for reward but believes that it is the right thing to do. I believe this is true. And that’s why it is said that we, Muslims, should strive to be ikhlas when we perform anything, especially if it is done out of our love for Allah swt.

There are times when we do thing out of sincerity but it is misconstrued as insincere by some. This happens to me many times. I do get disheartened. But I learnt that how other interpreted my actions, should not be so much of my concern because when it comes to the matter of the heart, it is not up to people to judge; it is actually between you and the Creator. Only Allah knows best.