The Importance of Intention and Islamic Teachings
In Islam, intention holds a fundamental place, because the acceptance of deeds and their value depend upon intention. This article presents a detailed review of the meaning of intention, its importance, and the statements of the hadiths, the narrations of the Companions, the Tabi’un, the Imams, and the jurists.
1. The Meaning of Intention
- Intention refers to the determination of the heart by which a person performs an action.
- For the acceptance of religious (Shar’i) deeds, a sincere intention and a firm resolve in the heart are necessary.
2. Intention in the Blessed Hadiths
Hadith 1: “إنما الأعمال بالنيات”
“Deeds depend upon intentions.”
عَنْ أَمِيرِ المُؤْمِنِينَ أَبِي حَفْصٍ عُمَرَ بْنِ الخَطَّابِ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَقُولُ: إِنَّمَا الأَعْمَالُ بِالنِّيَّاتِ، وَإِنَّمَا لِكُلِّ امْرِئٍ مَا نَوَى…
Translation: “Actions are judged by intentions, and every person will get only what he intended.”
Explanation: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ made clear that the acceptance of every deed depends upon intention. If the intention is purely for Allah, the deed will be acceptable.
Hadith 2: “مَنْ كَانَتْ هِجْرَتُهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ”
“Whoever’s migration is to Allah and His Messenger.”
فَمَنْ كَانَتْ هِجْرَتُهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ فَهِجْرَتُهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ، وَمَنْ كَانَتْ هِجْرَتُهُ لِدُنْيَا يُصِيبُهَا أَوِ امْرَأَةٍ يَنْكِحُهَا فَهِجْرَتُهُ إِلَى مَا هَاجَرَ إِلَيْهِ۔
Translation: “Whoever’s migration is for Allah and His Messenger, his migration is for Allah and His Messenger. And whoever’s migration is for worldly gain that he may obtain, or for a woman he may marry, his migration is for what he migrated for.”
Explanation: This hadith explains the sincerity of intention and its different types.
3. Intention in the Narrations of the Companions
Hadrat Umar bin al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him):
“إِنَّمَا الأَعْمَالُ بِالنِّيَّاتِ وَإِنَّمَا لِكُلِّ امْرِئٍ مَا نَوَى.”
Translation: “The actions depend upon intentions, and every person will get only what he intended.”
Hadrat Ali (may Allah be pleased with him):
“إِنَّ نِيَّةَ المُؤْمِنِ خَيْرٌ مِنْ عَمَلِهِ.”
Translation: “The intention of a believer is better than his deed.”
4. Sayings of the Tabi’un and Tabi’ al-Tabi’in
Hadrat Hasan al-Basri (may Allah have mercy on him):
“ما أَخفى عبد لله عملًا إِلَّا أَظْهَرَهُ الله على فلتات لِسَانِه، وَصَفَحَات وَجهه.”
Translation: “Whatever intention a servant conceals in his heart, Allah will make it manifest in the slips of his tongue and the expressions of his face.”
Imam Sufyan al-Thawri (may Allah have mercy on him):
“ما عالجت شيئًا أشد علي من نيتي.”
Translation: “I have not faced anything more difficult than correcting my intention.”
5. Statements of the Four Imams
Imam Abu Hanifah (may Allah have mercy on him):
“لَا يُعْتَبَرُ الْعَمَلُ إِلَّا بِالنِّيَّةِ، وَالنِّيَّةُ قَبْلَ الْعَمَلِ.”
Translation: “An action has no worth without intention, and intention comes before the action.”
Imam Malik (may Allah have mercy on him):
“إنَّما الأعمالُ بالنياتِ في جميعِ الطاعاتِ.”
Translation: “In all acts of worship, intention is necessary.”
Imam al-Shafi’i (may Allah have mercy on him):
“النِّيَّةُ فِي الْقَلْبِ وَمَنْ نَوَى بِقَلْبِهِ وَجَبَ عَلَيْهِ الْعَمَلُ.”
Translation: “Intention is in the heart, and whoever intends in his heart, acting upon it becomes obligatory for him.”
Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal (may Allah have mercy on him):
“الْعَمَلُ لَا يَصِحُّ إِلَّا بِالنِّيَّةِ.”
Translation: “No action can be valid without intention.”
6. The Importance of Intention and Jurisprudential Explanations
Imam al-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him):
“يجب على كلّ مسلم أنْ يُخلِص نيّته في جميع أعماله.”
Translation: “It is obligatory upon every Muslim to purify his intention in all his deeds.”
Imam al-Ghazali (may Allah have mercy on him):
“النية هي القصد وهي مفتاح الأعمال.”
Translation: “Intention refers to resolve, and it is the key to deeds.”
7. Conclusion
Intention refers to the resolve of the heart, and in the Shariah it holds immense importance. The Prophet ﷺ, the Companions, the Tabi’un, and the Imams all emphasized the sincerity of intention. The foundation of intention is the heart, and the acceptance of every deed depends upon the purity of intention.
