IKHLAS

In the name Allah The Most Benificent The Most Merciful

Once,  a large consignment of wine was being brought on a ship for a despotic king who was notorious for his tyranny. A pious man who happened to travel by that ship broke all the bottles or casks of wine except one. Nobody could stop him.

Everybody wondered how he dared to do this for nobody had the courage to face the cruelty of the king.

When the king was informed about it, he was surprised to learn that an ordinary man had the audacity to do all that . He also wondered why he left one cask intact.

The man was captured and interrogated. He said, "My conscience had urged me to do this, you may punish me as you like."

He was then asked why one cask was left unbroken?

He replied,"At first I broke the casks of wine out of my religious sentiments, but when only one was left....my heart felt elated. I then felt that breaking this last cask would be for the satisfaction of my ego. I, therefore, did not break it."

Finding him selfless in what he did, the king ordered his release.

To do good deeds you need 'Ikhlas'. It requires words, thoughts and deeds that should be compatible...
only for the pleasure of Allah s.w.t alone. Thus, we must constantly looked inside our heart whether our deeds are indeed because of Allah or because of our desire for worldly things.