What are the conditions for accepting deeds of worship?
– Allah has privileged us with Islam and ordered us to do good deeds. A Muslim must prove his sincerity in Islam by his good deeds. There are 3 conditions must be involved in any deed like “prayer, fasting, doing pilgrimage, even your studying, seeking knowledge and so on”, as well as the scholars agreed upon its importance.
These conditions are:
- Islam: It is necessary to be Muslim and believer so that Allah `SWT` accept our deeds in Islam, Allah `SWT` does not accept the work of those who associate anything in worship with him, and what Allah says in His Book prove it. Allah says “إِنَّمَا يَتَقَبَّلُ اللَّهُ مِنَ الْمُتَّقِينَ” سورة المائدة (indeed, Allah only accepts from the righteous) Surat Al Maida, i.e., Allah accepts the work of people away from polytheism.
- Sincerity: A person must seek his deed the way of Allah Almighty and do good deeds only for the sake of Allah and not for the sake of people or for his own interest. and if he did the righteous work without being sincere to Allah, it would not be accepted by Allah, if the person did worship to admire people or people say that he is a good person or for the sake of worldly, Allah will not accept from him that work.
There are many evidences on this condition mentioned in the Quran and sunnah, Allah says:
فَاعْبُدِ اللَّهَ مُخْلِصًا لَّهُ الدِّينَ” سورة الزمر“
“so, worship Allah with (being) sincere to Him in religion”. (Surat Al-zumar)
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Actions are to be judged only by intentions and a man will have only what he intended”. Narrated by Muslim, Bukhary and others.
- Following: We mean by it; that the Muslim should follow the Prophet “peace be upon him” in actions and sayings and so on, so, your deed will be accepted if you followed the deeds of the Prophet in the ways of worship and do not devote in the ways of worship and the evidence from the Book and the Sunnah are many and we only mention the saying of the Prophet (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” Narrated by al-Bukhaari and Muslim. Anyone who has done an act in Islam is not in agreement with the act or saying of the Prophet, it is not accepted by Allah as the prophet is the teacher to us by order of Allah Almighty
May Allah accept from me and from you all our good deeds.