Path of Ikhlas
We can attain Ikhlas if we believe that:
Human beings are the best of God’s creation and they are God’s caliph (representative) on earth and the goal of creation,
It is God who judges our deeds and gives us great rewards for even our tiniest good deeds,
No deed, no matter how small of big, will be lost with God and everyone will see the result of his deeds in this world and the next,
God covers our bad deeds and flaws and reveals our good deeds,
The price of human beings is paradise and if one sells himself for anything other than that, he would be a loser,
God is the one who buys our deeds and when someone worships Him, he is trading with God,
Whatever we have is from God, and He is our kind and merciful Lord and Master,
One cannot love two opposing things at the same time. “God has not created two hearts inside any one human being.” (Verse 4 of Surah AL-Azhab) So he should either love God or love the world,
The world is transient and ephemeral and remains faithful to no one. God has described this world as “nothing but a passing enjoyment.” (Verse 26 of Surah Ar-Raad),
On the Day of Judgment, it is only good deeds along with Taqwa (God-fearing) and Ikhlas that benefits people and everyone will reap what he has sown in this world,
The hypocrite may be able to deceive the whole world but they will be disgraced on the Resurrection Day.
Yes, if we believe these in our heart, we will get closer to Ikhlas. We will do everything for the sake of God and pay no attention to what people say (to distract our attention from God).
We should know that while we cannot see God, He always sees us. We should recognize that even if there was no punishment, we should be thankful to Him for His blessings and avoid disobeying Him.
God has given us so many blessings in this world and it would be ungrateful not to thank God for all these blessings.
We should worship God not for getting to paradise or out of fear of hell, but because God is worthy of being worshipped. This is the act of worship by the noble people like Imam Ali (AS).
One who reaches Yaqeen (certainty) will reach Ikhlas. In fact, Ikhlas is the fruit of Yaqeen, according to Imam Ali (AS).
If we are certain that God sees us and what we do, and that He knows our intentions and what is in our heart, we will reach Ikhlas faster.
Imam Ali (AS) and his family gave what they had for iftar to a poor, an orphan and a prisoner three consecutive days without expecting anything in return (Surah Al-Insan, Verse 9) and God praised them in this Surah for their Ikhlas.
One who has Ikhlas will do what he is required to do no matter what people do or say or what the circumstances may be.
He endures all difficulties and hardships on the path of God and does what he is duty-bound to do based on the order of God.
