both kinds. For it distinguishes between someone who seeks Allah and His Messenger and someone who seeks worldly gain or a woman. It thus distinguishes between the ends for which one acts, not between one deed and another.

Allah Most High mentions sincerity in His Book in several places, as in His words:

“They were commanded only to worship Allah with sincere devotion to Him.”

And His words:

“So worship Allah with sincere devotion to Him.”

“Surely, sincere devotion is due to Allah alone.”

And His words:

“Say: It is Allah I worship, devoting my religion sincerely to Him.”

There are other such verses as well.

Sincere devotion is the foundation of Islam. Thus, He condemns showing off in such passages as:

“So woe to those who pray, yet are heedless of their prayer—those who show off.”

And His words:

“When they stand for prayer, they stand lazily, showing off before people and remembering Allah only a little.”

Allah Most High also says:

“Like one who spends his wealth to be seen by people”—and the rest of the verse.

And His words:

“And those who spend their wealth to be seen by people”—and the rest of the verse.

Section

Scholars agree that an act of worship intended for its own sake, such as prayer, fasting, or Hajj, is valid only with an intention. They disagree, however, concerning purification: for example, someone who is in a state of major ritual impurity, forgets this, and bathes merely to become clean. Mālik, al-Shāfi'ī, and Ahmad said: Intention