❀ Importance of Intention in Light of Hadith and Sayings of the Companions ❀
Written by: Qari Usama bin Abdussalam (Hafizahullah)
In Islam, intention (niyyah) holds a central position, as the acceptance and value of deeds depend upon it. This article presents a detailed analysis of the concept and significance of intention through Hadiths, sayings of the Companions, Successors (Tabi‘in), Imams, and jurists.
Intention refers to the inner resolve of the heart under which a person performs an action.
For any Shari‘ah-compliant act to be accepted, a pure intention and firm resolve from the heart is necessary.
عَنْ أَمِيرِ المُؤْمِنِينَ... إِنَّمَا الأَعْمَالُ بِالنِّيَّاتِ...
(Sahih Bukhari: Hadith 1; Sahih Muslim: Hadith 1907)
Translation:
“Actions are judged by intentions, and every person will get what he intended.”
Explanation:
The Prophet ﷺ clearly emphasized that the acceptance of any deed is dependent on intention. If the intention is sincerely for Allah, then the action will be accepted.
فَمَنْ كَانَتْ هِجْرَتُهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ...
Translation:
“Whoever's migration is for Allah and His Messenger, then his migration is for Allah and His Messenger. And whoever's migration is for worldly gain or to marry a woman, then his migration is for that for which he migrated.”
Explanation:
This Hadith elaborates on the sincerity and diversity of intentions.
"إِنَّمَا الأَعْمَالُ بِالنِّيَّاتِ..."
(Musannaf ‘Abd al-Razzaq, Hadith 9113)
Translation:
“Actions are judged by intentions, and every person will get what he intended.”
"إِنَّ نِيَّةَ المُؤْمِنِ خَيْرٌ مِنْ عَمَلِهِ."
(Shu‘ab al-Iman by Bayhaqi, 5/343)
Translation:
“The believer’s intention is better than his action.”
"ما أَخفى عبد لله عملًا..."
(Ihya’ ‘Ulum al-Din, 4/381)
Translation:
“A servant never hides an intention in his heart except that Allah manifests it through the slips of his tongue and expressions of his face.”
"ما عالجت شيئًا أشد علي من نيتي."
(Jami‘ al-‘Uloom wa al-Hikam, p. 70)
Translation:
“I have never struggled with anything more difficult than my own intention.”
"لَا يُعْتَبَرُ الْعَمَلُ إِلَّا بِالنِّيَّةِ..."
(Al-Mabsut, vol. 1, p. 62)
Translation:
“No action is valid without intention, and intention precedes the action.”
"إنَّما الأعمالُ بالنياتِ في جميعِ الطاعاتِ."
(Al-Mudawwanah al-Kubra, 1/57)
Translation:
“All acts of worship must be accompanied by intention.”
"النِّيَّةُ فِي الْقَلْبِ..."
(Al-Umm, 1/8)
Translation:
“Intention is in the heart, and once someone intends in the heart, the act becomes obligatory upon him.”
"الْعَمَلُ لَا يَصِحُّ إِلَّا بِالنِّيَّةِ."
(Al-Mughni, 2/112)
Translation:
“No action is valid without intention.”
"يجب على كلّ مسلم أنْ يُخلِص نيّته..."
(Riyadh al-Salihin)
Translation:
“It is obligatory upon every Muslim to purify his intention in all of his actions.”
"النية هي القصد وهي مفتاح الأعمال."
(Ihya’ ‘Ulum al-Din)
Translation:
“Intention is resolve, and it is the key to all actions.”
Intention is the resolve of the heart, and it holds immense importance in Islamic teachings. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, the noble Companions, the Successors, and the Imams all emphasized the purity and sincerity of intention. Intention originates from the heart, and the acceptance of every deed in Islam depends upon the purity of one's intention.
Written by: Qari Usama bin Abdussalam (Hafizahullah)❖ Intention and Islamic Teachings
In Islam, intention (niyyah) holds a central position, as the acceptance and value of deeds depend upon it. This article presents a detailed analysis of the concept and significance of intention through Hadiths, sayings of the Companions, Successors (Tabi‘in), Imams, and jurists.
① Definition of Intention
Intention refers to the inner resolve of the heart under which a person performs an action.
For any Shari‘ah-compliant act to be accepted, a pure intention and firm resolve from the heart is necessary.
② Intention in the Noble Hadiths
✿ Hadith 1: "Actions are judged by intentions"
عَنْ أَمِيرِ المُؤْمِنِينَ... إِنَّمَا الأَعْمَالُ بِالنِّيَّاتِ...
(Sahih Bukhari: Hadith 1; Sahih Muslim: Hadith 1907)
Translation:
“Actions are judged by intentions, and every person will get what he intended.”
Explanation:
The Prophet ﷺ clearly emphasized that the acceptance of any deed is dependent on intention. If the intention is sincerely for Allah, then the action will be accepted.
✿ Hadith 2: “Whoever's migration is for Allah and His Messenger...”
فَمَنْ كَانَتْ هِجْرَتُهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ...
Translation:
“Whoever's migration is for Allah and His Messenger, then his migration is for Allah and His Messenger. And whoever's migration is for worldly gain or to marry a woman, then his migration is for that for which he migrated.”
Explanation:
This Hadith elaborates on the sincerity and diversity of intentions.
③ Sayings of the Companions about Intention
✿ Sayings of Umar ibn al-Khattab (RA):
"إِنَّمَا الأَعْمَالُ بِالنِّيَّاتِ..."
(Musannaf ‘Abd al-Razzaq, Hadith 9113)
Translation:
“Actions are judged by intentions, and every person will get what he intended.”
✿ Sayings of Ali (RA):
"إِنَّ نِيَّةَ المُؤْمِنِ خَيْرٌ مِنْ عَمَلِهِ."
(Shu‘ab al-Iman by Bayhaqi, 5/343)
Translation:
“The believer’s intention is better than his action.”
④ Sayings of the Tabi‘in and Tabi‘ Tabi‘in
✿ Hasan al-Basri (رحمه الله):
"ما أَخفى عبد لله عملًا..."
(Ihya’ ‘Ulum al-Din, 4/381)
Translation:
“A servant never hides an intention in his heart except that Allah manifests it through the slips of his tongue and expressions of his face.”
✿ Imam Sufyan al-Thawri (رحمه الله):
"ما عالجت شيئًا أشد علي من نيتي."
(Jami‘ al-‘Uloom wa al-Hikam, p. 70)
Translation:
“I have never struggled with anything more difficult than my own intention.”
⑤ Statements from the Four Great Imams
✿ Imam Abu Hanifah (رحمه الله):
"لَا يُعْتَبَرُ الْعَمَلُ إِلَّا بِالنِّيَّةِ..."
(Al-Mabsut, vol. 1, p. 62)
Translation:
“No action is valid without intention, and intention precedes the action.”
✿ Imam Malik (رحمه الله):
"إنَّما الأعمالُ بالنياتِ في جميعِ الطاعاتِ."
(Al-Mudawwanah al-Kubra, 1/57)
Translation:
“All acts of worship must be accompanied by intention.”
✿ Imam al-Shafi‘i (رحمه الله):
"النِّيَّةُ فِي الْقَلْبِ..."
(Al-Umm, 1/8)
Translation:
“Intention is in the heart, and once someone intends in the heart, the act becomes obligatory upon him.”
✿ Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal (رحمه الله):
"الْعَمَلُ لَا يَصِحُّ إِلَّا بِالنِّيَّةِ."
(Al-Mughni, 2/112)
Translation:
“No action is valid without intention.”
⑥ Significance of Intention and Jurisprudential Insights
✿ Imam al-Nawawi (رحمه الله):
"يجب على كلّ مسلم أنْ يُخلِص نيّته..."
(Riyadh al-Salihin)
Translation:
“It is obligatory upon every Muslim to purify his intention in all of his actions.”
✿ Imam al-Ghazali (رحمه الله):
"النية هي القصد وهي مفتاح الأعمال."
(Ihya’ ‘Ulum al-Din)
Translation:
“Intention is resolve, and it is the key to all actions.”
⑦ Conclusion
Intention is the resolve of the heart, and it holds immense importance in Islamic teachings. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, the noble Companions, the Successors, and the Imams all emphasized the purity and sincerity of intention. Intention originates from the heart, and the acceptance of every deed in Islam depends upon the purity of one's intention.
