The Power of Kindness

Kindness Without Expectation – Doing Good for the Pleasure of Allah

Over the past three days, we have been exploring the different dimensions of kindness. On Monday, we looked at how kindness begins with us, reminding ourselves that it must first become part of our own character and behaviour. On Tuesday, we explored how even the smallest acts of kindness can have a tremendous impact on someone else’s life. Yesterday, we focused on the power of our words and how a gentle word, an encouraging message or simply choosing to remain silent rather than hurt someone can make all the difference.

Today, we take this discussion a step further by looking at an important question: Why do we show kindness? Is it because we genuinely want to make someone’s life better, or do we sometimes expect something in return?

There is nothing wrong with appreciating recognition or feeling happy when someone acknowledges our efforts. However, true kindness should not depend on whether someone thanks us, praises us or returns the favour. Some of the most beautiful acts of goodness are those performed quietly, without expecting anything in return.

Think about how often we measure our efforts according to the response we receive. We help someone and become disappointed when they do not thank us. We go out of our way for a person and feel hurt when they do not do the same for us. We give charity but secretly hope that others will notice our generosity. We may even withdraw our kindness when we feel that it is not being appreciated.

But does that mean the good we have done loses its value? Should our willingness to help others depend entirely on how they respond to us?

Islam teaches us a beautiful principle: our actions should be guided by sincerity, known as Ikhlaas. When we do something good, our ultimate intention should be to seek the pleasure of Allah Ta’ala, rather than the praise and approval of people.

Allah Ta’ala gives us a wonderful example in Surah Al-Insan, verses 8 and 9, when describing the righteous:

وَيُطْعِمُونَ ٱلطَّعَامَ عَلَىٰ حُبِّهِۦ مِسْكِينًا وَيَتِيمًا وَأَسِيرًا ِ إنَّمَا نُطْعِمُكُمْ لِوَجْهِ ٱللَّهِ لَا نُرِيدُ مِنكُمْ جَزَآءً وَلَا شُكُورًا

“And they give food, despite their love for it, to the needy, the orphan and the captive, saying: We feed you only for the sake of Allah. We wish not from you reward or gratitude.”

These verses teach us something profound. The righteous give because they want to please Allah. They are not waiting for compliments, recognition or repayment. Their reward is with Allah, and that is enough for them.

This principle can transform the way we approach kindness. Imagine helping someone without feeling the need to tell everyone about it. Imagine giving charity without announcing it. Imagine assisting someone who is struggling and never expecting them to return the favour. There is a special beauty in doing good simply because it is the right thing to do.

Rasulullah ﷺ also taught us about the importance of sincerity. In a Hadith recorded in Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim, he said:

“Actions are judged by intentions, and every person will have only what they intended.”

This Hadith reminds us that the intention behind an action is extremely important. Two people may perform exactly the same act of kindness, but their intentions may be completely different. One may do it to receive praise, while the other does it purely to earn the pleasure of Allah. Although the outward action looks identical, the intention gives it its deeper meaning.

Another important aspect of kindness without expectation is learning to help people without making them feel indebted to us. Sometimes we assist someone financially, but afterwards we constantly remind them of what we have done. We bring it up during disagreements, use it to make them feel guilty or remind them that they owe us. In doing so, we can take away the dignity of the very person we intended to help.

Allah Ta’ala addresses this in Surah Al-Baqarah, verse 264, warning believers not to invalidate their charity through reminders of their generosity or hurtful treatment.

يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ لَا تُبْطِلُوا۟ صَدَقَـٰتِكُم بِٱلْمَنِّ وَٱلْأَذَىٰ كَٱلَّذِى يُنفِقُ مَالَهُۥ رِئَآءَ ٱلنَّاسِ وَلَا يُؤْمِنُ بِٱللَّهِ وَٱلْيَوْمِ ٱلْـَٔاخِرِ ۖ فَمَثَلُهُۥ كَمَثَلِ صَفْوَانٍ عَلَيْهِ تُرَابٌ فَأَصَابَهُۥ وَابِلٌ فَتَرَكَهُۥ صَلْدًا ۖ لَّا يَقْدِرُونَ عَلَىٰ شَىْءٍ مِّمَّا كَسَبُوا۟ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ لَا يَهْدِى ٱلْقَوْمَ ٱلْكَـٰفِرِينَ

O believers! Do not make your charity worthless by reminders of your generosity or by injury to the recipients’ feelings, like those who spend their wealth to be seen by people and believe neither in Allah nor in the Last Day. Their parable is like a hard barren rock covered with thin layer of soil; a heavy rain falls, leaving it just a bare stone. Such people will not gain any reward that they thought they had earned. Allah does not guide the unbelievers.

This is a powerful lesson. If we genuinely want to help someone, we should try to preserve their dignity. Our kindness should lift people up, not make them feel small.

The true beauty of kindness is not found in the recognition we receive, but in the sincerity with which we give. When we do good for the pleasure of Allah, we should never feel that our efforts have been wasted simply because people failed to acknowledge them. Allah knows, Allah sees, and nothing done sincerely for His sake is ever lost.