18: Sincerity

 

"Successful indeed is the person who is sincere"

No Piety without Sincerity

The aim of rightful living is pursuing Taqwah (piety), and piety is considered to be ...

There can be no piety in the absence of truthfulness of the heart and sincerity of intention. Sincerity is therefore rightly considered as the starting point of ethical living, the core of good character and the basis for an ideal personality.

Conscience & Consciousness

Confucius said: "Sincerity and truth are the basis of every virtue."
It is significant to note that sincerity must be rooted in the realm of ethics and facts. A person's "sincerity" cannot be detached from the reality of universal moral values.

Be aware that being dedicated to a false or immoral perception detracts from the "morality" of one's commitment. A person cannot, for example, be praised for being "sincere" (actually forthright) about his racism.

To be sincere is ...

Dimensions of Sincerity

Sincerity emanates from three sources ...

Abdullah ibn Mas'ud said, "Speech by itself is worthless unless it is followed by action, speech and actions by themselves are worthless unless based on proper intention."

The Prophet (pbuh) captured all the above-mentioned dimensions of sincerity when he is reported to have said:
"Successful indeed is the person who is sincere in faith, whose heart is pure, whose speech is truthful and whose character is upright."

Sincerity is a Pre-requisite for Integrity

Integrity is about being honest, being honorable and being your self at your best. Integrity is about moral maturity; what it is to think and act in a way that reflects the full stature of a good, responsible and rational human being. Professor Don Cross said, "If I truly know who I am and what I value, and stand firmly for what I believe, and have the courage to act on it, I can not help but be sincere." Sincerity simplifies one's life, improves integrity and enhances one's ability to deal effectively with others and makes it easier for others to deal with you.

Sincerity is the Antidote to Hypocrisy

The ordinary person who is sincere is far more valuable than the most extraordinary person who is a hypocrite. Among the most attractive qualities of human character is sincerity just as hypocrisy is among the most detestable and repulsive. The antidote to hypocrisy is sincerity and purification of the self. There are many who live lives hiding behind a facade of good appearance. The irony is that though the hypocrite is trying to deceive others, he actually only deceives himself (Q 4:142).
Prophet Jesus/'Isa (pbuh) said: "You can't fix the problem of your heart with a disguise."
Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said: "Allah surely does not judge your appearances nor your physicality, but rather considers the sincerity of your hearts and your actions."

Safeguard from Evil

Sincerity serves as a shield from bad influences and evil consequences. The forces of corruption are pervasive and could affect everybody most of the time except those in servitude to Allah who are sincere. (Q 38:83)
Honesty in heart and mind are essential elements in developing a good personality and living a rightful life. Sincerity is about being truthful at every level; to one's self, one's Creator and to the rest of the world.
Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said in this regard:
"Complete truthfulness is obligatory upon you for surely truthfulness leads to righteousness and righteousness leads to paradise"

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