Many people today have this false notion that I don’t need to learn how to perform my acts of ebadah, business transactions, dawah to Allah etc. correctly. “Once I am sincere, that is enough.” “It is the intention in the heart alone that counts.” The verse below dispels this fallacy.

In mentioning the purpose of this life, Allah Ta’ala states:

“Blessed is He in whose hand is dominion, and He is over all things competent – (1) [He] who created death and life to test you [as to] which of you is best in deed – and He is the Exalted in Might, the Forgiving (2)” {Al-Mulk}

In explaining this verse the great scholar and devout worshipper, Fudail ibn E’yaadh said: “[It means which of you is] most sincere and most correct.” They asked him, “O Abu Ali, what do you mean?” He replied: “If the deed is sincere but it is not correct, it is not acceptable. If the deed is correct but is not sincere, it is not acceptable either. [It is not acceptable] unless it is both sincere and correct. Sincerity means that it should be only for Allah, and correctness means that it should be in accordance to the Sunnah.“

(See U’budiyyah, Tafsir Baghawi, Ruhul Ma’aani, Kasshaaf, Baidhaawi, Saawi on Jalaalain )