Friday, April 18, 2008

Iman and Amal Soleh

The Quran mentions for those who have faith and do good deeds, ALLAH Subhana Hu Wa Ta'ala will grant unto them everlasting blessings and grace. Here faith and good deeds is termed as Iman and Amal Soleh. Why is it then that the Quran mentions Amal Soleh and not Amal, Amal Hassan, Amal Khair etc? Amal is only considered as Amal Soleh if the deeds that is carried out is firstly done out of sincerity, stemming from the believe that it is to be done to attain ALLAH's Pleasure. Thus the niat will bring out the deed in its most best fashion in act. It is in this approach that the doer will be able to attain a higher level of Iman, for the Amal has brought the doer to be closer to ALLAH Subhana Hu Wa Ta'ala. This is due to the doer's understanding that it is to be done only to gain His Blessings, thus increasing one's proximity to Him and not otherwise. The link between Amal, Iman and Sincerity is all-close to an extent that amal which is not done from true believe and pure sincerity, will be only known as amal of other kinds. It does not bring one close and closer to ALLAH Subhana Hu Wa Ta'ala. Thus it is urgent that we reflect the deeds that we have carried out and ask ourselves whether we have done it with true conviction that is to gain His Pleasure and therefore to do it with sincerity from the heart. This inter-twinning nature also tells that for sincerity and true believe to exists and thus the amal to be of soleh in nature, we must do our utmost to prevent any form of shirk from affecting our Tauhid, small or big. For shirk is darkness and darkness leads one astray. Iman and Amal Soleh are our salvations in the hereafter. Other than The Mercy of ALLAH Subhana Hu Wa Ta'ala and the Syafa'ah of Rasulullah sallallahu 'alaihi wassalam, we have to strengthen our Iman and Amal Soleh with the best fortifications. May ALLAH Subhana Hu Wa Ta'ala guides us. Amin Ya Rabbal 'Alamiin.