What is Ikhlas? Meaning, Levels, and How to Achieve It

Within the framework of Islam, righteous deeds hold a central position. However, mere physical actions lack weight in the sight of Allah ﷻ if they are devoid of their primary essence. The soul of all acts of worship is ikhlas (sincerity). Without it, regardless of the volume of deeds a human being performs, their value potentially becomes void.

Classical scholars fully recognized this reality. Imam al-Nawawi, for instance, chose the Chapter on Ikhlas and Presenting the Intention (Bab al-Ikhlas wa Ihdar al-Niyyah) as the opening chapter in his monumental work, Riyad al-Salihin. This selection implies that ikhlas is the key and the main gate to the nobility of righteous deeds. Anyone who intends to walk the path of obedience must first rectify their heart.

In daily life, Muslims frequently encounter two fundamental questions that often cause confusion: first, what is the actual difference between ikhlas and intention (niyyah)? Second, how do we know if the deeds we perform are truly based on sincerity?

This article will answer both questions by examining the meaning of ikhlas, detailing its levels, and providing guidelines on how to achieve it. All references are sourced from authoritative scholarly texts, specifically relying on the work of Ibn ʿAllān al-Ṣiddīqī al-Bakrī al-Shāfiʿī, namely Dalīl al-Fāliḥīn li Ṭuruq Riyāḍ al-Ṣāliḥīn, a trusted commentary on the book Riyad al-Salihin.

The Linguistic Meaning of Ikhlas

According to etymological analysis, ikhlas (الإخلاص) is derived from the root word kh-l-ṣ which forms the pattern af’ala-yuf’ilu-ikhlaṣan. Its original meaning is at-takhlīṣ, which is to purify or free something from all kinds of mixtures.

Its derivative word is khāliṣ, meaning pure or unadulterated. The ancient Arabs often used this word to describe pure honey that had not been mixed with water, or pure gold that had been cleansed of other metallic impurities through the heating process. This physical analogy greatly assists us in reconstructing the meaning of ikhlas within the inner self.

The implication of this linguistic meaning is definitive: a deed can only be called sincere (mukhliṣ) when it is completely “pure” from all forms of goals, motives, or interests other than Allah ﷻ.¹

The Meaning of Ikhlas According to Scholars

Scholars approach the terminological definition of ikhlas from different angles. Some emphasize the aspect of “purification from other than Allah” (a negative approach), while others focus on “the singular objective solely towards Allah” (a positive approach). These differences complement our understanding of what ikhlas truly is.

Definition by ar-Raghib al-Ashfahani

Imam ar-Raghib al-Ashfahani provides a highly essential definition from the inner perspective. He states:

الإخلاص التعرّي عما دون الله تعالى

Translation:

“Ikhlas is the emptying or stripping of the heart from everything other than Allah Ta’ala.”²

The word at-taʿarrī (التعرّي) literally means taking off clothes. This is a powerful visual metaphor. A sincere heart is depicted as an inner self that has stripped off all “garments” of worldly interests, worldly desires, and tendencies other than Allah ﷻ. This definition views ikhlas from a negative side, emphasizing the absence of all forms of objectives other than the Creator.

Definition by Imam Abu al-Qasim al-Qushayri (First Definition)

From a more positive and detailed perspective, Imam Abu al-Qasim al-Qushayri elaborates the definition of ikhlas as follows:

الإخلاص إفراد الحقّ سبحانه وتعالى في الطاعات بالقصد، وهو أن يريد بطاعته التقربّ إلى الله تعالى دون شيء آخر من تصنع لمخلوق واكتساب محمدة عند الناس أو محبة مدح من الخلق أو معنى من المعاني سوى التقرّب إلى الله تعالى

Translation:

“Ikhlas is singling out al-Haqq (Allah) Subhanahu wa Ta’ala in obedience with intention, which is that one intends by their obedience to draw near (taqarrub) to Allah Ta’ala without it being mixed with anything else, whether it be: pretending/showing off in front of creations, seeking praise in the eyes of people, loving the flattery from fellow creations, or any other meanings besides drawing near to Allah Ta’ala.”³

Al-Qushayri’s definition explicitly details four things that must be eliminated from a servant’s heart during worship:

1. Taṣannu’ li-makhlūq: Pretending, acting, or showing off in front of creations.
2. Iktisāb maḥmadah ʿinda al-nās: The motive to harvest a good image or praise in the eyes of society.
3. Maḥabbah madḥ min al-khalq: The heart’s tendency to love and thirst for flattery from fellow human beings.
4. Maʿnā min al-maʿānī siwā al-taqarrub: All forms of goals, ambitions, or interests whatsoever that lie outside the corridor of drawing near to Allah ﷻ.

Definition by Imam al-Qushayri (Second Definition)

Besides the definition above, Imam al-Qushayri also offers a more practical formulation to measure our daily actions:

الإخلاص تصفية العمل عن ملاحظة المخلوقين

Translation:

“Ikhlas is purifying the deed from the consideration of the views of creations.”⁴

The selection of the word taṣfiyah (تصفية) implies a process of filtering or clarifying. This suggests that ikhlas is not a passive condition, but an active process that requires a servant to continuously filter their intentions. Is there still an element of “wanting to be seen” or “wanting to be heard” by creations in the worship performed? If it persists, the tasfiyah process must be maintained continuously.

Comparison Table of the Three Definitions

To facilitate understanding, here is a summary comparison of the three formulations of ikhlas from the scholars:

These three definitions do not contradict one another at all. Ar-Raghib al-Ashfahani views ikhlas from the purity of the inner space, al-Qushayri in his first definition dissects it from the positive motivation side, while in his second definition he provides a measuring tool so the heart escapes the disease of showing off (riya) in social spaces.

Qur’anic Evidences Regarding Ikhlas

Imam al-Nawawi opens the Chapter of Ikhlas by quoting four holy verses of the Qur’an. These verses serve as the foundational arguments regarding the necessity of purifying obedience. Three of them occupy the highest urgency regarding this discussion.

Surah al-Bayyinah Verse 5 — Explicit Command for Ikhlas

Allah ﷻ says:

وَمَا أُمِرُوا إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ الدِّينَ حُنَفَاءَ

(Wa mā umirū illā liyaʿbudullāha mukhliṣīna lahud-dīna ḥunafāʾ)

“And they were not commanded except to worship Allah, [being] sincere to Him in religion, inclining to truth…” (QS. Al-Bayyinah: 5)

According to Arabic grammar, the word mukhliṣīna (مخلصين) functions as a ḥāl (adverb of condition) for the verb yaʿbudū (they worship). This carries the legal meaning that the demanded and accepted manner of worship is only worship performed in a state of sincerity.

Al-Hafiz al-Suyuthi affirms that this verse is the primary evidence for the obligation of intention (niyyah) in every act of worship, considering sincerity can never manifest without the presence of intention in the heart.⁵ Similarly, the use of the word ḥunafāʾ (حنفاء), meaning inclining away from all deviant teachings straight towards the religion of Islam, further strengthens the meaning of singular devotion only to Him.

Surah al-Hajj Verse 37 — Only Taqwa Reaches Allah

Allah ﷻ says:

لَنْ يَنَالَ اللَّهَ لُحُومُهَا وَلَا دِمَاؤُهَا وَلَكِنْ يَنَالُهُ التَّقْوَى مِنْكُمْ

(Lay yanālallāha luḥūmuhā wa lā dimāʾuhā wa lākiy yanāluhut-taqwā mingkum)

“Their meat will not reach Allah, nor will their blood, but what reaches Him is piety from you.” (QS. Al-Hajj: 37)

Imam al-Qurtubi, quoting a narration from the companion Ibn Abbas radhiyallahu ‘anhuma, explains the asbab al-nuzul (reason for revelation) of this verse. In the past, the people of Jahiliyyah had a tradition of smearing the walls of the Kaaba with the blood of the animals they sacrificed. Some early Muslims felt inclined to imitate this physical practice for the purpose of worship. Thus, this verse was revealed.⁶

The valuable lesson from this verse is that the value of an act of worship is not measured by the magnitude of its physical form—such as the massive piles of sacrificial meat or the amount of blood spilled—but rather evaluated by the piety and sincerity hidden within the performer’s chest. The use of the word yanāluhu (reaches Him) is applied metaphorically (majazi) for the meaning of acceptance (qabul). Meaning, only piety and sincerity make an act of worship “arrive” and subsequently incur the pleasure of Allah ﷻ.

Surah Ali Imran Verse 29 — Allah Knows the Content of Hearts

Allah ﷻ says:

قُلْ إِنْ تُخْفُوا مَا فِي صُدُورِكُمْ أَوْ تُبْدُوهُ يَعْلَمْهُ اللَّهُ

(Qul in tukhfū mā fī ṣudūrikum aw tubdūhu yaʿlamhullāh)

“Say, ‘Whether you conceal what is in your breasts or reveal it, Allah knows it.'” (QS. Ali Imran: 29)

This verse is closely related to the foundation of ikhlas. Ibn ʿAllān explains that this speech serves as a tanbih (warning) for those who receive tawfiq to safeguard their sincerity, as well as a form of takhwīf (threat) against the trap of riya. Human beings should not feel secure and deceive themselves simply because their bad intentions or hidden pride are invisible to their neighbors. Allah ﷻ is the All-Knowing Entity over all secret passing thoughts and whispers in the chest.⁷

Ikhlas and Niyyah — What is the Difference?

One thing that is often conflated is the position of intention and ikhlas. Understanding both proportionally is highly useful for maintaining the validity of an action according to jurisprudence while simultaneously ensuring the act is accepted spiritually. If you wish to study the fundamental insights regarding Niyyah first, a complete guide is available.

Here are the differences between niyyah and ikhlas:

In conclusion, niyyah is the condition for the validity of the deed; whereas ikhlas is the condition for the acceptance of the deed. A person intending to perform prayer in the mosque fulfills the requirement of valid worship according to Islamic law, but if in his heart he hopes to be praised by his friends, his deed fails spiritually due to the loss of sincerity. Both walk hand in hand to complete a single structure of obedience.⁸

Six Levels of Ikhlas According to the Scholars of Ma’rifah

Ibn ʿAllān in Dalīl al-Fāliḥīn quotes valuable wisdom from the arbāb al-ishārāt (the scholars of sufism or experts in spiritual signs/ma’rifah). He records profound explanations about the levels of intention that directly correspond to the level of a person’s achievement of ikhlas.

The Arabic text containing this majestic statement reads:

وقال أرباب الإشارات من العارفين: «إنما الأعمال بالنيات» يتعلق بما وقع في القلوب من أنوار الغيوب. والنية جعل الهمّ في تنفيذ العمل للمعمول له، وألا يسنح في السرّ ذكر غيره

“The scholars of signs from among the ‘arifin (those possessing ma’rifah) said: The hadith ‘Deeds are only by intentions’ relates closely to the unseen lights that fall into the depths of the hearts. Niyyah is focusing all desire (will) in executing the deed solely for the One the deed is directed to, and ensuring that no remembrance of other than Him crosses the deepest inner space.”

From this foundation, the arbāb al-ishārāt categorize the levels of intention (which reflect the quality of sincerity) into six levels.⁹

First Level — The Niyyah of the Commoners (العوام)

Arabic Text:

نية العوام في طلب الأعراض مع نسيان الفضل

Explanation:

This is the worship motivation where a person performs deeds to demand worldly benefits or necessities (such as ease of sustenance, physical security, long life) while forgetting the virtues of the afterlife.

Although the deed is considered valid according to fiqh rules (because they still intend to worship Allah), the quality of its sincerity is at the lowest degree. For example: someone gives charity specifically only so their business in the market sells well, without a complete awareness that charity is originally an act of devotion and a manifestation of gratitude to the Provider of sustenance.

Second Level — The Niyyah of the Unlearned (الجهال)

Arabic Text:

نية الجهال التحصن عن سوء القضاء ونزول البلاء

Explanation:

This level categorizes those who worship purely to shield themselves from bad fate or as a shield to avoid the descent of disasters and calamities.

The term juhhāl here is not interpreted as intellectual stupidity, but rather a lack of deep spiritual understanding regarding the essence of Shari’a. This is considered lower in quality because their motivation for worship is distorted by a misplaced fear—they do not worship out of fear of Allah’s majesty ﷻ, but merely fear of the disaster itself.

Third Level — The Niyyah of the Hypocrites (أهل النفاق)

Arabic Text:

نية أهل النفاق التزين عند الله وعند الناس

Explanation:

People at this level worship with the goal of combining imagery: wanting to look good before Allah and simultaneously before human beings.

This category is the most alarming disease because it contains the element of nifaq (hypocrisy). Their worship alters its function into a mask of imagery on two fronts. This level is the most visible form of the snare of riya.

Fourth Level — The Niyyah of the Scholars (العلماء)

Arabic Text:

نية العلماء إقامة الطاعات لحرمة ناصبها لا لحرمتها

Explanation:

“Executing obedience solely out of respect and glorification for the Entity who prescribed it (Allah), not simply because of respecting the worship itself.”

This is the boundary where a person has released themselves from the snare of the gross ego. Their worship orientation is no longer merely because they are tempted by heaven or terrified of hell. They perform worship as a form of ta’zhim (glorification) to Allah ﷻ who issued the command. The nuance difference is highly subtle: performing prayer recognizing the authority of the Supreme Creator who obligated the prayer is much purer than performing prayer solely feeling that prayer is a deed that yields rewards.

Fifth Level — The Niyyah of the Sufis (أهل التصوف)

Arabic Text:

نية أهل التصوف ترك الاعتماد على ما يظهر منهم من الطاعات

Explanation:

“Abandoning the attitude of relying (depending) on the outward acts of obedience that manifest from them.”

A servant at this level is very diligent in worship and multiplying dhikr, yet their heart never for a second relies on those deeds as a “medium of exchange” for salvation before Allah. They fully realize that the worship they are capable of performing is itself a gift of tawfiq from Him alone, not originating from their own greatness. This station is what frees its practitioner from the trait of ‘ujub (the destructive pride in oneself).

Sixth Level — The Niyyah of the People of Truth (أهل الحقيقة)

Arabic Text:

نية أهل الحقيقة ربوبية تولد عبودية

Explanation:

This is the pinnacle of the ikhlas hierarchy. “The understanding of Rububiyyah (Allah’s lordship, absolute power, maintenance) that organically generates ubudiyyah (the attitude of absolute servitude).”

The people of truth worship no longer as a functional reaction to obtain rewards, not limited to feelings of fear or hope, not even limited to a form of glorification alone. Their souls are directly connected to the ultimate realization that before the Most Perfect and Powerful Allah, a creation has no logical attitudinal choice whatsoever except to submit and serve completely. They worship because they witness that Allah is supremely worthy of being worshipped.

Important note: Imam al-Nawawi and Ibn ʿAllān do not argue that worshipping due to hoping for heaven or fearing hell is wrong. Such actions remain valid and justified by the Shari’a. The levels formulated by the arbāb al-ishārāt above are intended as steps to reach a more prime inner quality.

Summary Table of the Six Levels of Ikhlas

The Fruits of Ikhlas — What Does Sincere Action Yield?

Then, what is the tangible form of grace obtained when a deed is executed with the quality of sincerity? The text of Dalil al-Falihin presents four specific, stunning proofs, all drawn directly from the treasury of authentic hadiths in the Chapter of Ikhlas.

Rewards Continue Despite Valid Excuses

Evidence:

In the hadith narrated from the companion Jabir bin ‘Abdullah radhiyallahu ‘anhuma (narrated by Imam Muslim), as well as the hadith from Anas bin Malik radhiyallahu ‘anhu (narrated by Imam al-Bukhari), it is recounted when the Prophet ﷺ was on his way back from the battle of Tabuk. He said: “Indeed, in Madinah there are men who, you do not travel a journey nor cross a valley except that they are with you (receiving the same reward). They were held back by an excuse (ḥabasahum al-ʿudhr).”¹⁰

Lesson:

Genuine and solid sincerity positions a servant so nobly that it is as if they are present performing an act directly even though their physical body is constrained by a valid shari’a excuse (such as illness). This is not merely an ordinary legal concession, but a special grace from Allah as a form of appreciation for the honesty of the intention in the servant’s chest.

Permissible Daily Activities Turn into Worship

Evidence:

From the hadith of Sa’d bin Abi Waqqash radhiyallahu ‘anhu, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ provided a majestic teaching:

وَإِنَّكَ لَنْ تُنْفِقَ نَفَقَةً تَبْتَغِي بِهَا وَجْهَ اللهِ إِلَّا أُجِرْتَ عَلَيْهَا، حَتَّى مَا تَجْعَلُ فِي فِي امْرَأَتِكَ

“And indeed, you will not spend any expenditure by which you seek the Face of Allah except that you will be rewarded for it, even what you put in the mouth of your wife.”¹¹

Lesson:

A bite of food into a wife’s mouth—a daily activity that on paper appears furthest from the nuance of formal ritual worship (ubudiyyah)—turns out to change status into worship that gains reward with Allah if accompanied by the pure intention to seek the Face of Allah (ibtighāʾ wajhillāh). Ikhlas possesses an astonishing transformative power, converting the dimensions of permissible (mubah) life into fields for the afterlife.

Answered Supplications — Tawassul through Sincere Deeds

Evidence:

This lesson is brilliantly recorded in the famous hadith regarding the three men of the Children of Israel who were trapped by a large rock inside a cave (Muttafaq ‘alaih from the companion Ibn ‘Umar radhiyallahu ‘anhuma).

Each of them performed Tawassul to Allah by remembering and reciting one of their best righteous deeds from the past. All three began their supplications with an equivalent sentence structure:

اللهم إن كنت فعلت ذلك ابتغاء وجهك ففرّج عنا ما نحن فيه

“O Allah, if I did that solely seeking Your Face, then relieve us of the situation we are in.”¹²

Lesson:

The attitude of sincerity—which in the wording is emphasized through the expression ibtighāʾ wajhika (seeking Your Face)—makes a deed worthy of being used as a wasilah (means of tawassul) when a servant pleads for help in narrow times. The three deeds inside the cave: devoting oneself (birrul walidain) wholeheartedly to parents, restraining desires from fornication when no one was watching, and holding firmly to the trust of a worker’s wealth until it multiplied. All of them were done purely lillāh without the intervention and observation of other people.

Deeds are Judged by the Heart, Not Outer Appearance

Evidence:

The saying of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ from the path of the companion Abu Hurairah radhiyallahu ‘anhu (narrated by Imam Muslim):

إِنَّ اللهَ لَا يَنْظُرُ إِلَى أَجْسَامِكُمْ وَلَا إِلَى صُوَرِكُمْ وَلَكِنْ يَنْظُرُ إِلَى قُلُوبِكُمْ

“Indeed, Allah does not look at your bodies nor your appearances, but He looks at your hearts.”¹³

Lesson:

Ibn ʿAllān places the meaning of naẓr (look/نظر) in the text as a look that entails judgment and the outpouring of rewards, not a literal sighting, because Allah is All-Seeing over all creations without pause. The direct consequence: two Muslims could perform the pillars of congregational prayer in the exact same row, with synchronous movements and exact recitation in terms of tajweed. However, on the scales of the afterlife later, their values could be entirely diametrically opposed, due to the difference in the level of sincerity existing in their respective hearts.

Enemies of Ikhlas: Riya, Sum’ah, and ‘Ujub

In every step of the spiritual journey towards Allah, there are always obstacles in the way. Referring to the tanbih (warning) unraveled by Ibn ʿAllān when interpreting the verses of the Chapter of Ikhlas:

وفي الآيات تنبيه للموفق على الإخلاص وتحذير له من الرياء، ولا يغترّ بخفائه ظاهراً فإن الله تعالى عالم بخفيات الأمور، لا تخفى عليه وساوس الصدور

“And in these verses, there is a warning for the one who receives tawfiq to be sincere, and a caution for him against riya. Let him not be deceived by its outward concealment, for indeed Allah Ta’ala is Knowing of the most hidden affairs, and the whispers of the chests are not hidden from Him.”¹⁴

Sincerity possesses opposing antidotes capable of demolishing its foundation, namely: Riya (acting to be seen by creations), Sum’ah (acting to be heard or talked about in society), and Ujub (pride and amazement at the quality of one’s own deeds). These three inner diseases clash one hundred percent with the substance of ikhlas formulated by Imam al-Qushayri at the beginning of this writing.

How to Achieve Ikhlas

There is no instant button to reach the station of ikhlas. Nevertheless, armed with the wisdom from the tanbih of the verses, the implied messages of the series of hadiths, and the logic of the levels from the arbāb al-ishārāt above, at the very least we can crystallize four steps of inner conduct that can be practiced to achieve the purity of deeds.

First — Constantly Evaluate Your Niyyah

This first step is extracted from the warning of Surah Ali Imran verse 29. The message “do not be deceived that riya can be hidden from Allah” provides a signal that a believer must proactively examine the movements of their heart. Considering Allah shines a light on the servant’s inner self (as in the hadith of Abu Hurairah), it is natural that improvement must be focused on that inner territory.

Practical governance methods that can be applied:

• Before acting: Pause for a moment and ask in the quietest recess of the heart, “For whom exactly am I stepping forward to do this deed?”
• While acting: Observe the pulse of your inner self. Pay attention to whether there is an overflow of pride when a respected figure comes to watch you worship? Or conversely, does a spark of anxiety arise when your social worship escapes the camera lens?
• After acting: Seal the deed with istighfar (seeking forgiveness) so the inner self does not tumble into the abyss of ujub. The excessive belief that we “are already one hundred percent sincere” sometimes actually hatches into the root of a new model of ujub.

Second — Increase Hidden Good Deeds

This is clearly inspired by the hadith regarding the three travelers in the cave whose deeds were accepted as a means for prayer. The fact that the three noble deeds (tireless devotion in the dead of night, running away from fornication in silence, and fulfilling financial obligations) occurred in spaces without human witnesses is highly relevant to the spirit of sincerity. The basic logic is clear: the narrower the gap for public scrutiny of our good deeds, the more firmly the structure of sincerity can be maintained.

Third — Correct Your Worship Motivation Using the Standard Levels

The division of the six strata from the arbāb al-ishārāt (starting from Awam, Juhhal, Nifaq, to Ulama, Tasawwuf, and Haqiqah) should be utilized as a mirror for muhasabah (self-evaluation). A Muslim can hold it up to examine themselves, asking, “At exactly what echelon does the quality of my intention stand today?” This is not a means of discrediting oneself, but a spiritual driver so we are willing to crawl up a class. At the very least, routine religious intentions need to be elevated from mere foundational routines for various short-term goals, moving resiliently to occupy the position of ta’zhim (glorifying Allah above all things).

Fourth — Cultivate the Awareness that Allah Sees the Heart

Returning to reference the saying of the Noble Prophet ﷺ, “Inna Allāha lā yanẓuru ilā ajsāmikum… wa lākin yanẓuru ilā qulūbikum,” as well as the takhwīf from Ali Imran: 29. The more intensely a person comprehends the ultimate view that later there will be no witness except the gaze of the Creator, the blunter their desire to hunt for praise from creations, who are incidentally merely fellow mortal servants. Realizing that Allah is Bashir (All-Seeing of the Heart) is the peak of muraqabah (vigilance) that forms a shield warding off the disease of riya.

FAQ Regarding Ikhlas

Conclusion

Ikhlas is absolutely not a static final stop, where a servant says, “I am already fully sincere,” and then closes the affairs of their heart. It is a continuous journey of self-evaluation (muhasabah) without knowing a stopping point. The six levels of intention motivation worked out so maturely by the inner scholars, the arbāb al-ishārāt, plant the wisdom that up there, noble spiritual footings still dangle, constantly waiting to be reached by every believing soul.

Referring to the consummate notes of Imam Ibn ʿAllān, the final vision in ikhlas converges to a single philosophy of total surrender: “Rububiyyah that gives birth to ubudiyyah”. When a servant bows down in ruku’ and prostration not merely because of a series of dogmatic commands or heavenly rewards, but their heart has been veiled from everything else because they witness that Allah ﷻ is exceedingly magnificent and far too entitled to solely be worshipped. Wallahu a’lam bis-sawab.

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