بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ
بَابُ الْإِخْلَاصِ وَ إِحْضَارِ النِّيَّةِ فِي جَمِيعِ الْأَعْمَالِ وَ الْأَقْوَالِ وَ الْأَحْوَالِ الْبَارِزَةِ وَ الْخَفِيَّةِ.
The expression of sincerity and good intention in all outward and inward actions, words, and states.
Sincerity: Its meaning is that every action should be performed for the pleasure of Allah Almighty, and no other motive should be mixed in it. Sincerity is one of the conditions for the acceptance of deeds, which are four in number. Two of these conditions relate to the correctness of the action: one is sincerity and the other is correctness. The definition of sincerity has been given, and correctness means that the action is in accordance with the authentic Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him. The remaining two conditions relate to the perfection of the action: one is steadfastness, i.e., firmly adhering to the action, and the other is hastening in performing good deeds.
As for firmly adhering to the action and strongly holding on to the divine commands, Allah Almighty has said:
خُذُوا مَا آتَيْنَا كُمُ بِقُوَّةٍ :
“Hold firmly to what We have given you.”
He also said:
فَخُذُها بقوة وأمرُ قَوْمَكَ يَأْخُذُوا بِأَحْسَنِهَا :
“Hold onto them with all your might and command your people to observe the best of them.”
Furthermore, He said:
يَا يَحْيَى خُذِ الْكِتَابَ بِقُوَّةٍ :
“O Yahya! Hold firmly to the Scripture.”
And regarding hastening in good deeds, Allah Almighty said:
وَلَا تَنَيَا فِي ذِكْرِى :
“Do not be sluggish in My remembrance.”
There are many such verses that encourage hastening in good deeds.
قال الله تعالى: وَمَا أُمِرُوا إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُوا الله مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ الدِّينَ حُنَفَاءَ وَيُقِيمُوا الصَّلوةَ وَ يُؤْتُوا الزَّكُوةَ وَ ذَلِكَ دِينُ الْقَيِّمَةِ [البينة: 5]
And Allah the Exalted said: “Not the flesh of their sacrifices nor their blood reaches Allah, but it is your piety that reaches Him.”
And Allah the Exalted said: “Say, whether you conceal what is in your breasts or reveal it, Allah knows it.”
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Allah the Exalted said: “They (the previous nations) were only commanded to be sincere in worshiping Allah alone, to establish prayer, and to give zakat, and (know) that this is the straight and true religion.”
And Allah the Exalted said: “Allah does not attain their flesh nor their blood, but only your piety reaches Him.”
And Allah the Exalted said: “Say (O Muhammad), whether you conceal what is in your breasts or reveal it, Allah knows it.”
Explanation of the verses:
In the first verse, Allah the Exalted commands His servants to worship Him sincerely alone, so they do not associate anyone else in His worship. They detach themselves from all false religions and incline solely and sincerely towards Islam, because it is the religion of a nation that is straight, moderate, and true. These are the distinguishing characteristics that set the Muslim Ummah apart from disbelieving nations through their beliefs and doctrines, for the purpose of the Prophets’ mission was also to present the pure call of monotheism to the people.
In the second verse, Allah the Exalted states that He has made the sacrifice of these animals lawful for you, so that at the time of sacrifice you remember that Allah does not receive the flesh or blood of these sacrifices, nor does He need them, because He is the Provider, the Powerful, and the Mighty Himself. He feeds all and is not fed by anyone, and He is independent and free of all needs.
The ignorant and polytheists used to slaughter animals for their false gods and place the meat before these idols and sprinkle the blood on them. Seeing this, the Companions of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) wondered if they should also sprinkle the blood of their sacrifices. Allah explained that He only accepts the sacrifices and deeds of those who are pious and act solely for His pleasure. This verse also warns that if the intention is not correct, then deeds are not accepted and become void and wasted.
In the third verse, Allah informs His servants that He knows all apparent and hidden matters; nothing is concealed from Him. His knowledge encompasses all times and moments, everything in the heavens and the earth and between them, and even what is beneath the soil. If there is a particle or something smaller in any corner of the earth, in the depths of the sea, or at the foot of a mountain, it is within the knowledge of Allah, Glorified and Exalted.
This is a warning from Allah Almighty to His servants not to commit acts He has forbidden and that cause His anger and displeasure, because He is fully aware of all their affairs and is capable of taking revenge on them. Yet He grants them respite and leniency, but when He seizes them, His grasp is severe. Whoever understands these warnings will perform good deeds based on sincerity and righteousness.
وَعَنْ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَبِي حَفْصٍ عُمَرَ بْنِ الخَطَّابِ بَنِ نُفَيْلِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْعُزَّى بَنِ رِيَاحِ بَنِ عَبْدِ الله بن قرط بن رزاح بن عَدِي بُنِ كَعْبٍ ابْنِ لُوَّى بن غالب القُرَشِى العدوى رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ، قَالَ: سمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللهِ يَقُولُ: ( (إِنَّمَا الْأَعْمَالُ بِالنِّيَاتِ، وَإِنَّمَا لِكُلِّ امْرِيءٍ مَّا نَوًى فَمَنْ كَانَتْ هِجُرَتُهُ إِلَى اللهِ وَ رَسُولِهِ فَهِجْرَتُهُ إِلَى اللهِ وَ رَسُولِهِ، وَ مَنْ كَانَتْ هِجْرَتُهُ لِدُنْيَا يُصِبْهَا ، أو امْرَأَةٍ يَنْكِحُهَا فَهِجْرَتُهُ إِلَى مَا هَاجَرَ إِلَيْهِ)). مُتَّفق على صحتِهِ رَوَاهُ إمَامًا المُحَدِّثِينَ أَبُو عَبْدِ الله محمد بن إسْمَاعِيلَ بنِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بَنِ الْمُغِيرَةِ بن بردزية الجعفى البخارى، وَ أَبُو الْحُسَيْنِ مُسلِمُ ابْنُ الحجاج بن مسلم القشيري النيسابوري رضى اللهُ عَنْهُمَا فِى صَحِيحَيْهِمَا اللَّذَيْنِ هُمَا أَصَحُ الكتب المصنفة.
The Commander of the Faithful, Hazrat Abu Hafs Umar bin Khattab رضي الله عنه, son of Nufail, son of Abdul Uzza, son of Riyah, son of Abdullah, son of Qurt, son of Ruzah, son of Adi, son of Ka’b, son of Lu’ay, son of Ghalib, a Qurayshi Adawi, narrates that he heard the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم say: “Actions are judged by intentions, and every person will get the reward according to what he intended. So whoever emigrated for Allah and His Messenger, then his emigration is for Allah and His Messenger; and whoever emigrated for worldly gain or to marry a woman, then his emigration is for that for which he emigrated.” The authenticity of this narration is agreed upon. It was narrated by Imam Al-Muhaddithin Abu Abdullah Muhammad bin Ismail bin Ibrahim bin Mughirah bin Baruz in Sahih Bukhari and Imam Al-Muhaddithin Abu Al-Husayn Muslim bin Hajjaj bin Muslim Qushayri Nishapuri رضي الله عنهما in Sahih Muslim, the two most authentic books among all the compiled books of Hadith.
Authentication of the Hadith:
Regarding the exaltation of this Hadith, the scholars of Hadith have transmitted it with such frequency that there is no Hadith more comprehensive and beneficial than this in the sayings of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم, because this Hadith is among those on which Islam is established.
Rare Word Explanation:
الحفص: It means “lion.” When a lion cub becomes capable of hunting, it is called Hafs. This is the kunya (epithet) of Hazrat Umar bin Khattab رضي الله عنه.
النية To intend something that is connected with an action.
الهجرة Literally, it means “to leave,” and legally it means to abandon what Allah Almighty has forbidden. In Islam, the concept of Hijrah (migration) occurred in two ways:
1. Moving from a place of fear to a place of safety, such as twice migrating to Abyssinia and the initial migration to Madinah Munawwarah.
2. Moving from a land of disbelief to a land of Islam, as the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم settled in Madinah Munawwarah.
يصيبها : “He will attain it.”
Fiqh of Hadith:
Intention is necessary in actions, whether the actions are intended as acts in themselves, such as prayer, or they are means to complete another act, such as purification and ablution. Intention is necessary because without it, the concept of sincerity cannot even be imagined.
The place of intention is the heart, meaning it is necessary to intend in the heart; expressing it by the tongue is not necessary. The Imams of the Muslims agree that intention is necessary for all acts of worship, i.e., purification, prayer, zakat, fasting, Hajj, freeing slaves, and jihad, etc. However, expressing it verbally is an innovation and misguidance. Whoever has allowed verbal expression of intention during Hajj has been mistaken because he did not differentiate between Talbiyah and intention.
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah رحمه الله composed a separate treatise on these issues and rulings, and I (the commentator) have also authored a treatise on this subject, named الدور المضبة فى أحكام الاخلاص والنية.
For righteous deeds, a righteous intention is necessary. A good intention cannot make a wrong act right, nor can an innovation become Sunnah. There are many people who try to do good but fail to achieve it.
For acceptance of deeds, sincerity for Allah Almighty is a condition, meaning the act must be done solely for the pleasure of Allah Almighty, because Allah only accepts that deed which is done solely for His pleasure and is in accordance with the authentic Sunnah.
