‘For the Sake of Allah Alone’ – Is it really?

Ibn Taymiyyah said:
حكي أن أبا حامد الغزالي بلغه أنمن أخلص لله أربعين يوما تفجرت ينابيع
الحكمة من قلبه على لسانه
قال: فأخلصت أربعين يوما فلم يتفجر شيء فذكرت ذلك لبعض العارفين فقال لي:
إنك إنما أخلصت للحكمة ولم تخلص لله تعالى
"… News reached Abu Hamid al-Ghazali that whoever proves sincere to
Allah for forty days, wisdom springs from his heart and is established
upon his tongue.
He (al-Ghazali) said, 'So I became sincere to Allah for forty days but
nothing happened so I mentioned this to a righteous person and he said
to me, 'You were not sincere for the sake of Allah, rather you were
sincere for the sake ofattaining wisdom."
Ibn Taymiyyah then says:
وذلك لأن الإنسان قد يكون مقصودهنيل العلم والحكمة أو نيل المكاشفات
والتأثيرات أو نيل تعظيم الناس له ومدحهم إياه أو غير ذلك من المطالب وقد
عرف أن ذلك يحصل بالإخلاص لله وإرادة وجهه, فإذا قصد أن يطلب ذلك
بالإخلاص لله وإرادة وجهه كان متناقضا, لأن من أراد شيئا لغيره فالثاني
هو المراد المقصود بذاته, والأول يراد لكونه وسيلة إليه
فإذا قصد أن يخلص لله ليصير عالما أو عارفا أو ذا حكمة أو صاحب مكاشفات
وتصرفات ونحو ذلك, فهو هنا لم يرد الله بل جعل الله وسيلة له إلى ذلك
المطلوب الأدنى
"And that is because a person's intention becomes(solely) the
attainment of knowledge or wisdom, or to seek out hidden matters,or to
gain popularity with the people and gain their praise etc. He knows
that he can only achieve all thatby being sincere to Allah and seeking
His Face. So if he seeks these things (praise, gaining knowledgeetc)
by the token of sincerity to Allah and seeking His Face, then such a
person contradicts himself because whoever seeks something (e.g. being
sincere to Allah) for the sake of something else (e.g. gain
understanding/knowledge), then the latter becomes his real goal and
the first is just a means to that .
So if a person intends to besincere to Allah so that he may become a
scholar, or pious, or one endowed with wisdom, or one who discovers
hidden realities etc, then such a person does not intend Allah, rather
he has made Allah a means for him to gain that inferior matter…"
- From the book درء تعارض المنقول مع صريح المعقول by IbnTaymiyyah
(rahimahullah).
- Incredible. It's such a subtle difference in intention (although not
always blameworthy) but it really makes one appreciate and realise the
reasons why the Prophet (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam) feared Riyaa'
for this Ummah so much. Ibn Taymiyyah's statement above is not really
rebuking people who take such a route, but it's highlighting the great
difference between doing something for the Sake of Allah Alone and
doing it in order to attain something specific (even though it may be
praiseworthy and permissible). This difference is what brings out the
true Mukhliseen (sincere) from the Salihin (righteous).
:->

‘Alqamah ibn Qays (rahimahullah) summed it up in his final advice to his son

Allah Ta'ala said,
"… And do not obey one whose heart We have made heedless of Our
remembrance and who follows his desire and whose affair is ever [in]
neglect." [al-Kahf: 28]
As for good character, then 'Alqamah ibn Qays (rahimahullah) summed it
up in his final advice to his son as he was on his deathbed:
"O my son, if you ever feel the need to befriend and accompany men,
then accompany the one who protects you when you help him, adorns you
if you walk with him, and supplies you when your provisions run out.
Accompany the one who when you stretch forth your hands in goodness ,
he stretches his hand too, ifhe sees merit from you, he remembers it,
and if he sees bad from you, he remedies it. Accompany the one who
gives you when you ask , who steps up when you are silent, and who
consoles you when calamity overtakes you. Accompany the one who
believes you when you speak , entrusts you when you engage in work ,
and if you fall out, he prefers you to the fallout."
-

Allah Prepared the Earth for Us

"As the pregnant mother excitedly prepares the cradle for the arrival
of her new baby, Allah also prepared the earth for us before He sent
Adam and Hawaa. He set all in place for us: the earth as a soft bed,
the heavens as a canopy, the rain, the fruits, the stars, even
companionsand love. He (SWT) gave us everything we need to live and
fulfill our needs. It's truly amazing."

The Prophet (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam) said, “A person is upon the Deen of his friend, so let each of you look to whom you befriend.” [Abu Dawud, 4833]

As-salamu `alaykum wa rahmatullah A chapter I took from one of my
books… very insightful. "… Know that not everyone is suited to be your
friend. The Prophet (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam) said, "A person is
upon the Deen of his friend, so let each of you look to whom you
befriend." [Abu Dawud, 4833]