The underlying principle here is to understand that these activities assist jihad in Allah’s cause, whose purpose is that religion should be entirely for Allah and that Allah’s word should be supreme.

Religion rests on two principles: first, that we worship none but Allah Most High; and second, that we worship Him as He has prescribed, not through religious innovations. As Allah Most High says:

“To test you as to which of you is best in deeds.”

Al-Fudayl ibn ‘Iyād said: “The most sincere and the most correct.” He was asked: “What do you mean by the most sincere and the most correct?” He replied: “If a deed is sincere but not correct, it will not be accepted. If it is correct but not sincere, it will not be accepted either, until it is both sincere and correct. Sincerity means that it is done for Allah, and correctness means that it accords with the Sunnah.”

‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb used to say in his supplication: “O Allah, make all my deeds righteous, make them sincerely for Your sake, and let no one else have any share in them.”

This is the religion of Islam with which Allah sent His messengers and revealed His books: submission to Allah alone. Whoever does not submit to Him is too proud to worship Him. Allah Most High has said:

“Indeed, those who are too proud to worship Me will enter