The only person you should try to be better than is the person you were yesterday. But how do you measure character and sincerity? This week we implement a baseline assessment on character using the evidence-based VIA survey

2. The most important and core base of any ʿibādah is …
Ikhlaas (Sincerity)

3. ‫ا‬‫َّل‬ِ‫إ‬ ْ‫ا‬ ٓ‫و‬ُ‫ر‬ِ‫م‬ُ‫أ‬ ٓ‫ا‬َ‫م‬َ‫و‬ُ‫ب‬‫ع‬َ‫ي‬ِ‫ل‬ْ‫ا‬‫ُو‬‫د‬َ ‫ا‬‫ٱَّلل‬
َ‫ين‬ ِ‫ص‬ِ‫ل‬‫خ‬ُ‫م‬َ‫ين‬ِ‫ٱلد‬ ُ‫ه‬َ‫ل‬
َ‫ء‬ٓ‫ا‬َ‫ف‬َ‫ن‬ُ‫ح‬ْ‫ا‬‫و‬ُ‫م‬‫ي‬ِ‫ق‬ُ‫ي‬َ‫و‬‫ا‬‫ص‬‫ٱل‬ََ ‫ة‬‫و‬َ‫ل‬
َ‫ذ‬َ‫و‬ ََۚ ‫ة‬‫و‬َ‫ك‬‫ا‬‫ٱلز‬ ْ‫ا‬‫و‬ُ‫ت‬ ۡ‫ؤ‬ُ‫ي‬َ‫و‬ُ‫ين‬ِ‫د‬ َ‫ك‬ِ‫ل‬‫ٲ‬ِ‫ة‬َ‫م‬ِ‫ي‬َ‫ق‬‫ٱل‬
“And they were not commanded except to worship
Allāh (being) sincere to Him in Religion, inclining to
truth and establish prayer and to give Zakah. And
that is the correct Religion.”

4. Ikhlas is the core of Tawhid
“Ikhlās is doing an act of obedience for Allāh’s
Sake, not wanting any religious benefit, nor
avoiding a worldly calamity, nor wanting to be
respected and esteemed by the people.”
- Imām Al Izz b. ʿAbdi Salām (raḥimahu Allāhu)

5. “So whoever hopes for the Meeting with his Lord,
let him work righteousness and associate none as
a partner in the worship of his Lord.” [Al-Kahf 18: 110]
Ibn Katheer (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: “ ‘Let him work
righteousness’ means, that which is in accordance with the laws of Allaah. ‘And
associate none as a partner in the worship of his Lord’ means, worship in
which he seeks the Countenance of Allaah alone, with no partner or associate.’
These are the basis of acceptable deeds: it must be sincerely for the sake of
Allaah alone, and correct according to the sharee’ah of the Messenger of
Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him).”
َ‫ر‬ َ‫ء‬ٓ‫ا‬َ‫ق‬ِ‫ل‬ ْ‫ا‬‫و‬ُ‫ج‬ ۡ‫ر‬َ‫ي‬ َ‫ان‬َ‫ك‬ ‫ن‬َ‫م‬َ‫ف‬‫ۦ‬ِ‫ه‬ِ‫ب‬ۡ‫ل‬َ‫م‬‫ع‬َ‫ي‬‫ل‬َ‫ف‬
ً۬‫ا‬‫ل‬َ‫م‬َ‫ع‬‫ا‬‫ا‬‫ح‬ِ‫ل‬‫ة‬‫ـ‬َ‫ص‬َ‫َّل‬َ‫و‬ِ‫شر‬ُ‫ي‬ۡ‫ك‬ِ‫ب‬َ‫ر‬ ََِ‫د‬‫ا‬َ‫ب‬ِ‫ع‬ِ‫ب‬ۤ‫ۦ‬ِ‫ه‬
َ‫د‬َ‫ح‬َ‫أ‬

6. So how do you
baseline and measure
character?

7. https://www.viacharacter.org/Survey/Account/Register

8. Record your results in
the order of survey
outcomes

11. Time capsule
Re-take the test at the
end of the course and
review progress