Ikhlāṣ is often translated as sincerity in one’s intentions and actions. I want to suggest, however, that it is more than that. Ikhlāṣ, in essence, is (1) an existential openness to the Truth and (2) a fidelity to the Truth – both of which amount to an existential orientation. Ikhlāṣ, as such, is a prerequisite of any belief or action. This orientation of openness and fidelity is not a one-time event. To receive the truth, one must receive the truth from God. To receive the truth, one must begin with an attitude of openness. Ikhlāṣ is an active and perpetual struggle in the face of obstacles that impede sincerity, such as mundane motives or “bad faith.” ‘Ata Allah al-Iskandarani states, “Actions are lifeless forms, but the presence of an inner reality of sincerity (ṣirr al-ikhlās) within them is what endows them with life-giving Spirit.” This demands that the object of consciousness is not only Truth but that the ascertainment of truth is an ultimate concern. Ikhlās is not reducible to a cognitive orientation (i.e., pure intentionality), for its fruits envelope the totality of the self, which Kierkegaard calls an inward appropriation of the Truth. Saint Augustine reminds us that we desire (I desire, therefore I am), and thus, the question is, what does one desire?
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