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 Fulfilling
our obligations to the Creator means undertaking action and externalizing
the faith that is harbored inside of  our hearts. But simply doing
an action is not enough because two conditions must be fulfilled
for it to be accepted and rewarded. Is it possible that we are
overlooking or forgetting those necessary conditions and thereby
rendering our actions as fruitless and ineffective? This third
installment in the series "In Pursuit of Peace and Happiness"
from Orlando, Florida focuses on the concept of ikhlas (sincerity)
and the danger of shirk (associating partners with Allah). This
talk is essential for those seeking  to
purify their hearts because it emphasizes
the foundation of this science: pure intention. And, of course,
pure intention is a pre-requisite for undertaking the pursuit
of peace and happiness. Imam Mokhtar also looks in-depth at the
issue of bid'ah (religious innovation) which renders our actions
fruitless.
Other topics discussed: will
partial ikhlas (sincerity) be accepted by  Allah?,
the various types of hidden shirk (associating partners with
Allah), is it a bid'ah to celebrate the Prophet's (S) birthday?,
is it a bid'ah to recite the Qur'an in a gathering upon moving
into a new home?, is it a bid'ah to raise the hands in dua after
prayer?,  raising
hands in witr prayer?, where exactly to place the hands in qiyaam,
is it a bid'ah to recite the Qur'an collectively upon the death
of a loved one?, how to deal with partial sincerity?, is discomfort
generated by lack of results considered shirk?
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