Bismillah ir Rahman ir Raheem
Assalaamualaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu
inshaAllah you are in the best of health, iman and happiness
The Acceptance of Good Deeds by Shaykh Husayn al-Awaaishah
(Kitab al-Ikhlas)
Before a Muslim moves another step forward or performs any act or
deed, he is obliged to acquire knowledge in the path that will lead
him to the best end, that is, having his good deeds accepted by
Allah, Allah willing. It is important to note that what counts is not
the number of good deeds or acts of worship performed, for there may
be a person wh performs many good deeds, yet, all what he gains is
tiredness in this life and hardships in the Last Life. The Messenger
said, what translated means, “There may be a Sa’im (fasting person)
who only gains hunger from his Siyam (fast), and there may be a Qa’im
(who stands up in prayer at night) who only gains Sahar (staying up
late) from his Qiyam!” [Ibn Majah]. Rather, what truly counts is
knowing and implementing the conditions that will ensure Allah’s
acceptance of the performed good deeds and various acts of worship.
There are two essential conditions that must both be present in every
performed good act or deed, so as to ensure their acceptance by
Allah. First, a Muslim must seek Allah alone in the good deeds that
he performs. Second, this good deed must be in total accordance with
what Allah has legislated in His Book and what His Messenger has
commanded in his Sunnah.
Whenever one of those two conditions is absent from any righteous act
or deed, then this good deed or act is neither good nor accepted, for
Allah said, what translated means, “So whoever hopes for the meeting
with his Lord, let him work righteousness and associate none as a
partner in the worship of his Lord.” [18:110]
In this Ayah, Allah has decreed that any good act or deed must be
righteous, that is, being in accordance with His Religion, and that
He alone is sought by this good act or deed.
In his Tafsir (explanation) of the Quran, ibn Kathir said, “these are
the two conditions that ensure the acceptance of any righteous act:
it must be performed for the sake of Allah alone and according to the
Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah.”
“I put my trust in Allah, my Lord and your Lord! There is not a moving creature, but He has a grasp of its forelock. Verily, my Lord is on the straight path. (The truth)”
(11:55-56)