Islamic Thoughts

For the sake of Allah

When you say you are doing something for the sake of Allah remember you need to do it with the best attitude possible.
And not with an angry face or as a favour to Allah.

Allah is in zero need of any favours from us. And we are in every possible need of Allah.

Next time you do something or say you are doing something feesabeelillah make sure its filled with ihsan/sincerity/like you can see Allah or like Allah can see you, happiness and a humbleness that Allah deserves from His slaves.

Don't for a second think you are doing a favour to the one you are helping or to Allah.
You are doing a favour to yourself.
Don't spoil a good deed by coupling it with arrogance, anger or resentment or even the slightest of bad expression on your face.

Fix your intention and attitude.
And after you do a good deed for HIS sake expect reward from Allah not from the one you are doing the good deed towards. Because there is 100% chance that the one you help is going to backstab you or hurt you and disregard anything good you have done to them.

"Is the reward for good [anything] but good?"
{Surah Ar Rahman 55: Verse 60}

And realize people who turn their backs on you or backbite about you are not pure evil either. They are just human.
Distance yourself from them, forgive them and make dua for them.

Do not let their betrayal or harshness rid you of your sweetness or empathy.

"Verily! Man is ungrateful to his Lord."
{Surat al-'Aadiyaat 100: Verse 6}

Al-Hasan al-Basri defines being ungrateful as being someone that counts hardships and troubles and forgets all the blessings Allah (swt) has bestowed upon him.

If Allah HIMSELF mentions that humans are ungrateful to HIM. Imagine where we as fellow humans stand when compared to the lord of the worlds.

"He who thinks that he is free from the criticism of people is a madman for even the Lord of the Worlds Himself has been wrongfully criticized."
- Imam Al-Shafi‘i (ra)

The companion, 'Urwa ibn Al-Zubair, may Allah be pleased with him, had to have his leg cut off one day because he fell ill. And on the same day, the son closest to his heart died from the rearing of a horse. What was his reaction? He said, "Oh Allah to You is all Praise and to You we belong. You have given me 7 children and have taken back one, and you have given me 4 limbs and have taken one. You always give ease after hardship and whenever You take, You always give elsewhere in more generosity. I ask you Oh Allah that you reunite me with the things I lost in Jannah!"

May Allah let us die and raise us amongst those who are always grateful and happy with a positive attitude towards life for HIS SAKE ALONE.
Ameen ya rabbi! :)