Sincerity of action and adherence to [the upright guidance and path] brought by Allāh’s Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم) are two requisites for the testimony that none has the right to be worshipped except Allāh, and that Muḥammad is the Messenger of Allāh (i.e., lā illāha illā Allāh Muḥammadun rasūl Allāh). It is necessary that any action one carries out seeking nearness to Allāh is performed sincerely for Allāh and is concordant with the Sunnah of His Messenger. If an action is bereft of sincerity, one’s action will not be accepted [by Allāh], due to His saying:

وَقَدِمْنَا إِلَىٰ مَا عَمِلُوا مِنْ عَمَلٍ فَجَعَلْنَاهُ هَبَاءً مَّنثُورًا

“And We shall turn to whatever deeds they (disbelievers, polytheists, sinners, etc.) did, and We shall make such deeds as scattered floating particles of dust.”
(Al-Furqān, 25:23).

Additionally, Allāh said in the qudsī ḥadīth collected by Muslim, “​​I am not in need of partners being associated along with me. Whoever does a deed whilst associating another with Me in worship, then I will abandon him and his shirk.”^[1]

Similarly, if an action is bereft of compliance with the Prophet’s Sunnah, one’s action will be rejected, due to the Prophet’s (صلى الله عليه وسلم) saying which is collected by al-Bukhārī and Muslim, “Whoever introduces something into this affair of ours that is not from it will have it rejected.”^[2] In a narration collected by Muslim there occurs the wording, “Whoever does an action that is not from our affair will have it rejected.” This wording is more comprehensive than the one prior, as it encompasses the one who performs an innovation having been the first to introduce it, and the one who performs it following someone else.^[3]