Ibaadat and Good actions

Showing loyalty by remaining obedient to Allah Ta'ala

Q: I prayed to Allah that I really wanted something and I made I’m not sure like intention I guess or I said that like I’ll be on my kinda best behaviour or just stay away from sins etc. because I wanted that thing. 

Is this permissible to do? To stay away from sinning so that Allah grants you your dua and gives you what u want? Or does abstaining from sin and doing good have to be solely for attaining Jannah? 

Is what I’m doing counting as doing it for Allah’s sake because I feel unsure and don’t want to do it for the sake of gaining something and get no rewards? How can I make it so that I get rewarded and get what I want in regards to a worldly gain I want?

Doing things with ikhlaas (sincerity)

Q:

1. Does pleasure of our Prophet (SallAllahu 'Alayhi Wa Sallam), the pleasure of The Prophets ('Alayhim-us-Salaam), the pleasure of the Angels ('Alayhim-us-Salaam), and the pleasure of The Sahabaah (RaziyAllahu 'Anhum) count as part of Ikhlaas?

2. If someone does dhikr in a majlis together with other people so that Allah (SubhanaHu Wa Ta'alaa) can mention them in His majlis of Angels ('Alayhim-is-Salaam), does this ruin their Ikhlaas?

3. If a person starts Namaz with a weak but conscious intention that it is for Allah (SubhanaHu Wa Ta'alaa) but their heart feels weak towards praise and is affected by criticism if someone criticises their Namaz, does this mean he had not complete Ikhlaas? How can the heart be unaffected by praise and criticism?

The 8 intentions to make before any action

Q: Recently we've been hearing alot about this 8 intentions. Can you please provide us with a clear response as many people are lost.

The 8 intentions that we should try to do before and during every action however small or big the action is.

1. Oh Allah only you are giving me the Taufeeq to do this Amal (action) and its outcome is only in your hands.

2. Oh Allah I am doing this Amal because it is your command and a Sunnah of Nabi Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam. (Think of some commands of Allah and Sunnahs related to the action)

3. Think of some virtues of the action that are promised by Allah and Nabi Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam.

4. Oh Allah You are watching me, You can hear me, You know what is in my heart and You are with me.

5. Oh Allah I am not fit to do this action. (Think of your sins at this point). Oh Allah all others who are doing this action are your slaves through the blessing of their action accept mine too.

6. Oh Allah I am doing this Amal only for Your pleasure. Grant me the ability to please You and protect me from Your anger.

7. Oh Allah accept this action of mine and make it a means for my Hidayat (guidance) and the Hidayat of humanity till Qiyamah.

8. After the action make Shukr to Allah and Tauba with remorse.

Note: The value of an action will be determined by the intentions it is done with. The intention with which an action is done is more valuable than the action itself. (Hadeeth)

The above are just a few from the many intentions that one can make. (Moulana Ilyaas Rahmatullah Alaih)

Judging people according to their ibaadaat

Q: My cousin is a Hafiz Alhamdulillah. He is pious but he wont do any Tabligh work. He wont tell people to pray or to leave out sins. He leads Taraweeh every year and he is busy in his life. My other cousin is a doctor. He is also pious Alhamdulillah he does Tabligh work with his doctor profession.

My question is, on the Day of Qiyamah, whose status will be higher; this doctor who is doing Tabligh or this Hafiz?