How Can I Increase in Sincerity in Worship During Ramadan and Beyond? – Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Question
How can I increase in sincerity in worship during Ramadan and beyond?
Answer
In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate
As-salamu alaikum wa rahmatullah
This is a beautiful question. Allah Most High tells us:
“˹It is˺ Allah ˹Who˺ has sent down the best message—a Book of perfect consistency and repeated lessons—which causes the skin ˹and hearts˺ of those who fear their Lord to tremble, then their skin and hearts soften at the mention of ˹the mercy of˺ Allah.
That is the guidance of Allah, through which He guides whoever He wills. But whoever Allah leaves to stray will be left with no guide.” [Quran, 39:23]
This verse shows us the state we should aspire to cultivate sincerity in worship during Ramadan and beyond.
Recognizing the Gift of the Quran
The Book of Allah is the Rope of Allah, our greatest gift. It was revealed to the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) as a source of guidance.
We should strive to be among those whose skins and hearts are moved and then find serenity in the remembrance of Allah. This remembrance transforms our state and cultivates sincerity.
Making Dua for Sincerity
We ask Allah for sincerity, as the Prophet(Allah bless him and give him peace) did. A beautiful supplication, narrated in collections such as Sunan al-Nasa’i, states:
“O Allah, I ask You for firm resolve in this matter, will and determination on right guidance. I ask You for all that is a means to Your mercy and all that is a means for Your encompassing forgiveness. I ask You for gratitude for Your blessings, and I ask You for excellence in worshipping You.”
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ الثَّبَاتَ فِي الأَمْرِ، وَالْعَزِيمَةَ عَلَى الرُّشْدِ، وَأَسْأَلُكَ شُكْرَ نِعْمَتِكَ، وَحُسْنَ عِبَادَتِكَ، وَأَسْأَلُكَ قَلْبًا سَلِيمًا، وَلِسَانًا صَادِقًا، وَأَسْأَلُكَ مِنْ خَيْرِ مَا تَعْلَمُ، وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا تَعْلَمُ، وَأَسْتَغْفِرُكَ لِمَا تَعْلَمُ، إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ عَلَّامُ الْغُيُوبِ
Learning from the Prophet’s Sincerity
One of the most effective ways to cultivate sincerity is by studying the biography (sira) of the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace).
Focus on the nature of his relationship with Allah. SeekersGuidance offers an important on-demand course on The Heart of the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace), covering his relationship with Allah and how he related to His creation. This course is highly recommended.
Study the Prophet’s life, especially his relationship with Allah. SeekersGuidance offers the course The Heart of the Prophet – a highly recommended resource.
Emulating the Sincere
A powerful example of sincerity is found in early righteous figures. One such person was Fudayl Ibn Iyad. Imam Dhahabi mentions that Abdullah Ibn Mubarak said:
“He was true to Allah, so Allah made wisdom flow from his tongue, and he benefited from his knowledge.”
This teaches us that sincerity leads to wisdom and beneficial knowledge.
Fudayl Ibn Iyad explains sincerity beautifully:
Leaving a good deed because of people is insincerity, and doing a good deed for the sake of people is associating partners with Allah.
True sincerity is that Allah frees you from both—neither leaving deeds due to people nor doing them for people. [Siyar A‘lam al-Nubala]
Practical Steps for Sincerity
Here are some steps to help cultivate sincerity:
1. Renew Your Intentions Daily: Before each act of worship, remind yourself that it is for Allah alone. Pause before actions to ensure sincerity.
2. Engage in Private Worship: The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) advised us not to make our homes like graveyards—worship Allah privately to develop sincerity.
3. Reflect on Allah’s Names and Attributes: Study the 99 Names of Allah to deepen your awareness of Him. SeekersGuidance offers a course on this topic to help with reflection.
4. Ponder Over the Quran: When reciting the Quran, reflect on what Allah is telling us about Himself and His guidance.
Resources
Intention: Validity and Sincerity: https://seekersguidance.org/answers/g…
Divine Beauty: Understanding the 99 Names of Allah- https://academy.seekersguidance.org/c…
[Shaykh] Faraz Rabbani
Shaykh Faraz Rabbani, a distinguished scholar in the Islamic sciences, is the Founder and Executive Director of SeekersGuidance. He studied under renowned scholars globally for ten years, beginning in Damascus and continuing in Amman, Jordan. Notable mentors include Shaykh Adib al-Kallas and Shaykh Hassan al-Hindi. After completing his studies, Shaykh Faraz returned to Canada in 2007 and established SeekersGuidance, dedicated to spreading reliable, relevant, and inspiring Islamic knowledge online and on the ground.
