عَنْ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَبِي حَفْصٍ عُمَرَ بْنِ الْخَطَّابِ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ
رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ
إنَّمَا الْأَعْمَالُ بِالنِّيَّاتِ، وَإِنَّمَا لِكُلِّ امْرِئٍ مَا نَوَى، فَمَنْ كَانَتْ هِجْرَتُهُ إلَى اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ فَهِجْرَتُهُ إلَى اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ، وَمَنْ كَانَتْ هِجْرَتُهُ لِدُنْيَا
يُصِيبُهَا أَوْ امْرَأَةٍ يَنْكِحُهَا فَهِجْرَتُهُ إلَى مَا هَاجَرَ إلَيْهِ
رَوَاهُ إِمَامَا الْمُحَدِّثِينَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللهِ مُحَمَّدُ بنُ إِسْمَاعِيل بن إِبْرَاهِيم بن الْمُغِيرَة بن بَرْدِزبَه الْبُخَارِيُّ الْجُعْفِيُّ وَأَبُو الْحُسَيْنِ مُسْلِمٌ بنُ الْحَجَّاج بن مُسْلِم الْقُشَيْرِيُّ النَّيْسَابُورِيُّ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُمَا فِي "صَحِيحَيْهِمَا" اللذَينِ هُمَا أَصَحُّ الْكُتُبِ الْمُصَنَّفَةِ
It is narrated on the authority of Amir al-Mu'minin (Leader of the Believers), Abu Hafs 'Umar bin al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: I heard
the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, say:
Verily, deeds are only with intentions. Verily, every person will have only what they intended. Whoever emigrated to Allah and his messenger, his emigration is for Allah and his messenger. Whoever emigrated to get something in the world or to marry a woman, his emigration is for that to which he emigrated.
[Source: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 54, Grade: Muttafaqun Alayhi]
The first hadith of the Forty an-Nawawi focus on sincerity, ikhlas. It is a ahad hadith which makes it not a tawatur hadith. In layman terms, the hadith is one of the hadith that is not famously narrated through multiple generations, but the authenticity of it is beyond doubt.
Due to only one narrator that is established in the narration of this hadith, it is considered as a ghareeb hadith. This type of hadith has a single chain of narration, often revolving around one generation or multiple generations. The hadith is an absolute ghareeb, (ghareeb mutlaq) hadith. Despite its classification as a ghareeb hadith, its authenticity and precision are undisputed. It is authentic and established, without doubt, in a precise way on how it is being established.
Notes: Ghareeb hadith is not a weak hadith. It’s a single-pint narration that revolves around either in one or multiple generation(s). A ghareeb hadeeth is one in which there is some kind of uniqueness. There are many kinds of uniqueness, the most important of which are two:
(1) Absolute uniqueness, ghareeb mutlaq, which is where a particular narrator - at any stage of the isnaad - is the only one who narrated this hadeeth, and no one else narrated it alongside him. So in this case the ghareeb hadith is one which is only known to be narrated from the Prophet with one isnaad
2)Relative uniqueness, ghareeb nisbee, which means that one of the narrators of a particular hadeeth was the only one to narrate it from his shaykh, and no one else narrated it from his shaykh, even though the hadeeth was narrated via a number of isnaad, but none of his students narrated the hadeeth from him except one narrator.
Many scholars celebrate this hadith and begin their books with this narration, إنَّمَا الْأَعْمَالُ بِالنِّيَّاتِ, which reflects the importance of genuine intention (of the scholars) for the sake of Allah (Lillahitaala) and to inform their readers of their sincere motives. Some scholars are of the opinion that the hadith is the focal i.e. mandate understanding the essence of Islam and being a Muslim.
Imam Ahmad said this hadith forms the foundation of the religion. According to him, the core of Islam revolves around three key narrations: this hadith on intentions, the hadith of Aishah RAh on the acceptance and rewards of actions, and the hadith of Nu’man ibn Basheer RA concerning halal and haram, which guides one’s actions. Each of these narrations is interconnected, with intention being the starting point, as highlighted in this hadith. Islam is a structured system with a solid foundation, reflected in this hadith.
This hadith is the first in the Forty an-Nawawi collection because it addresses the hidden aspects of one’s actions. Scholars agree that shari’ah is connected to two aspects: dzahir (ظهر), the manifest side, and batin (بطن), the hidden side.
We are more soul than body. The shari'ah places greater weight on the hidden side. Our physical bodies are merely collections of meat, fruits, vegetables and other consumed, which should humble us and remind us of our inherent insignificance that, “how can lentils, beans, meat be so arrogant?”
The most important side of human beings is our inner side. This is why the shari’ah emphasises on the hidden side than the apparent, Rasulullah (ﷺ), said:
“Allah does not look at your forms or your wealth, rather He looks at your deeds and your hearts.”
[Sunan Ibn Majah]
Imam Shafi'ee stated that this hadith is considered as one third of the religion, and is connected to 70 chapters of fiqh. This highlights the hadith’s profound, flamboyant and comprehensive role in the day-to-day routine of a Muslim.
Narrator 'Umar bin al-Khattab RA
عَنْ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَبِي حَفْصٍ عُمَرَ بْنِ الْخَطَّابِ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ
It is narrated on the authority of Amir al-Mu'minin (Leader of the Believers), Abu Hafs 'Umar bin al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: I heard (the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, say:)
It is narrated on the authority of Amir al-Mu'minin (Leader of the Believers), Abu Hafs 'Umar bin al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: I heard (the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, say:)
This hadith is firmly established and attributed to Amir al-Mu’minin ‘Umar Al-Khattab RA. It is also attributed to Abu Sa’id Al-Khudri RA, as mentioned by Abu Nu’aim, but this attribution is not established.
After ’Umar RA, this narration was transmitted by the tabi’in from a single-point narrator as well, Alqamah ibn Waqqas. Subsequently, there was one established narrator which is Muhammad Ibn Ibrahim at-Taymi. Following him, the narration was passed on by Yahya ibn Saeed al-Ansary, after which it spread widely, being narrated by over 700 narrators from Yahya ibn Saeed Al-Ansary.
أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ is referring to the narrator of this hadith, Umar al-Khattab RA who famously known as the second caliph of Islam, the one who brought much khayr i.e. goodness ,with Allah's will, to Islam and the Muslims after his Islam. He ruled the Islamic empire after Abu Bakr As-Siddiq RA for ten and a half years. He was the one who was killed oppressively out of enmity and thus made a shaheed, a martyr. He was stabbed by Abu Lu’lu al-Majusi towards the end of the Dzulhijjah, 23 years after the Hijrah.
The title أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ is referring to the narrator of this hadith, Umar al-Khattab RA, and later was widely used as a sign of highly regards authorities / leader of the Muslim. He achieved the post of being the leader of the believers, as he was tasked and effectively being chosen by Abu Bakr RA before he passed away. The choice by Abu Bakr was not based on personal desire or friendship, but rather on knowledge based on something substantial. No doubt the knowledge of Abu Bakr regarding Umar's objectiveness, strict policy in supporting the truth and also the many instances in which Revelation matched the decision of Umar RA. There were many cases whereby Umar, in his syura with the Prophet ﷺ took an opinion and the Revelation that came down matched his opinion.
Abu Hafs, أَبِي حَفْصٍ is Umar Al-Khattab RA kuniya, where Hafsa is his daughter who was married to the Prophet ﷺ . He was an excellent leader of which among his achievements included spreading Islam and systematising the rule of his vast territories, establishing the Islamic calendar, organising state pensions, and upholding justice.
The first hadith of the Forty an-Nawawi’s begin with this hadith of which is also known as إنَّمَا الْأَعْمَالُ بِالنِّيَّاتِ, deeds are with its intentions.
In science of hadith, the use of سَمِعْتُ reflects the form of the hadith which are being directly received by the narrator. According to the manner in which the hadith has been reported, such as using the (Arabic) words 'an ("on the authority of"), haddathana ("he narrated to us"), akhbarana ("he informed us") or sami'tu ("I heard"). In this hadith, Umar RA narrated it from Rasulullah ﷺ of what he heard directly.
It was accustomed during those days that the community practice niyabah, where Umar RA and his neighbour would take turns to go and learn from Rasulullah ﷺ , and will teach other.
And ‘Umar said: I had a neighbour among the Ansar. We used to take turns to go down to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). He would go down one day and I would go down the next. He would bring me the news of the Revelation and other things, and I would do likewise. [Ahmad]
As for this hadith, Umar RA witnessed it himself which connected directly from Rasulullah ﷺ .
Deeds and Actions
إنَّمَا الْأَعْمَالُ بِالنِّيَّاتِ
Verily, deeds are only with intentions.
Verily, deeds are only with intentions.
وَإِنَّمَا لِكُلِّ امْرِئٍ مَا نَوَى
Verily, every person will have only what they intended
In Arabic eloquence, the word إنَّمَا, which means verily, would reflect a ‘tool of limitation’ in the context of the sentence. It is a form of expressively confining and limiting the meaning of whatever comes after it to the articulated realm and excluding any other passive meanings that also can be deduced from what was said. Innamaa is a word used to limit the whole context of the statement of which indeed, it is.
For example, He is wearing a grey shirt vs There’s nothing about him except he wears a grey shirt. In the preceding sentence, there’s limitation to the description of the person.
This is similar ‘tool of limitations’ like the word إِلَّا in the Quran,
وَمَا خَلَقْتُ ٱلْجِنَّ وَٱلْإِنسَ إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُونِ
And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me [Adz-Dzariyat 51:56]
It’s a stern form of ‘nothing but’ a precise form of work connecting to the meaning after the word, confined to what is said, excluding anything else.
Alternately, الْأَعْمَالُ بِالنِّيَّاتِ could also be rephrase as deeds are not judged except as per their intentions. The focus is the intentions.
Arabic language can be mutlaq (general) or makhsus (specific). This is to highlight the use of the word إنَّمَا impact is the same. however the wider context could entail something general meaning which applies without any boundary. or it applies with the boundary and specific.
As for this part of the hadith, it’s saying indeed there's nothing about your actions except that they are judged based on your intentions. It's not just saying that actions are judged by the intentions.
In other narration, we may find that the form of the word deeds & actions are not in plural form, but in singular form i.e. الْأَعْمَالُ بِالنِّيَّاتِ. This didn’t contradict each other as it still meant for all actions,amal and intentions, niyah.
In Arabic language, the kalimah بِ that precede النِّيَّاتِ in this hadith known as baa as-sababiyyah, which denotes the cause or reason for something existing. action which is connected to the intention.
In this hadith, إنَّمَا الْأَعْمَالُ بِالنِّيَّاتِ, the reason for your actions existing is connected to your intentions. So, we understand that there's nothing about our actions except that they exist and are valuable, based on one reason and that is your intention.
A common misconception is that intention is required for every act. However, not all actions necessitate a specific niyyah. For example, returning someone’s rights or removing impurities does not require a formal intention. The Hadith “إِنَّمَا الْأَعْمَالُ بِالنِّيَّاتِ” teaches that while actions are judged by intentions, not every act needs a specific intention for its validity.
In Islamic jurisprudence, scholars had categorise general statements into three categories:
1.Truly general, encompassing all situations.
2.General with specific restrictions evidenced by other texts.
3.General in word but intended for a specific context from the outset.
2.General with specific restrictions evidenced by other texts.
3.General in word but intended for a specific context from the outset.
Understanding these distinctions helps in correctly interpreting the scope of Islamic rulings and their applications.
The same idea of the first part (إنَّمَا الْأَعْمَالُ بِالنِّيَّاتِ) of the hadith, the second part (وَإِنَّمَا لِكُلِّ امْرِئٍ مَا نَوَى) is also as important as it begins with the word إِنَّمَا innama. This is to explain that there will be nothing for a person from their actions except that which they deserve, because of the merit and quality of the intention.
There are 2 different opinions/viewpoints relating to intention and actions.
From the viewpoint of life, actions are done as a result of having an intention i.e. actions done with specific purpose. However, as from the viewpoints of Shari’ah, of which this hadith is stressing on, indeed actions are judged as complete (valid or invalid) because of the intention. It says, in terms of your actions being counted, they will be considered counted or discounted, complete or incomplete, valid or invalid, based on the intention that you have when you did the action.
At this point, we can further elaborate on how do one relates intention with action of worship, that should only for the sake of Allah only, and also intention on mundane activities, like waking up eating, breathing, of which (mostly) we do not have specific intention for it being a routine and part of life?
It is understood that in terms of acts of worship that have only one intention that would be for the sake of Allah. Allah reveals Salah, with the intention only for Him, and so do zakah, fasting and many other acts of worship. Having the intention is to ensure that you have the intention to do the ac, to be present. Furthermore, the act is to be done only for Allah SWT, no question asked.
The second part of the Hadith “وَإِنَّمَا لِكُلِّ امْرِئٍ مَا نَوَى” explains that the reward of an action is directly linked to the intention behind it. For instance, wearing clothing according to Shariah earns a reward, but wearing it with the intention to display Allah’s blessings yields a greater reward. Conversely, actions against Shariah are sinful, and the degree of sin varies based on the underlying intention.
The niyyah in the act of worship is part and parcel of the conditions of the act.The act is not accepted, or not correct, without the niyyah. This is known as an-niyyah musahhihan, of which it is process-oriented.
What about mundane activities of life? It is not an act of worship, so how does one apply it to this narration? In getting rewards, through the intention, you can convert a mundane activity of life into a paradise building opportunity. Effectively, by making Allah the purpose for what you are doing. Seek Allah’s pleasure in whatever mundane activities you are doing, not just for the sake of doing it.
This is what the Hadith is teaching us. It’s time to connect life at a deeper level. Make every act for the sake of Allah SWT, hoping for His rewards. Let the rest that you get from the sleep be the result from the intention you are making i.e. for the sake of Allah. Let the food you are eating be fulfilled as the result for your intention connecting it to Allah. Let the result of the temporary day in this world that you’ve experienced connect you to the eternal Hereafter for you seeking the pleasure of Allah SWT. Make Allah the intention and purpose of everything you do.
The Role of Niyyah
فَمَنْ كَانَتْ هِجْرَتُهُ إلَى اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ فَهِجْرَتُهُ إلَى اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ
Whoever emigrated to Allah and his messenger, his emigration is for Allah and his messenger.
Whoever emigrated to Allah and his messenger, his emigration is for Allah and his messenger.
وَمَنْ كَانَتْ هِجْرَتُهُ لِدُنْيَا يُصِيبُهَا أَوْ امْرَأَةٍ يَنْكِحُهَا فَهِجْرَتُهُ إلَى مَا هَاجَرَ إلَيْهِ
Whoever emigrated to get something in the world or to marry a woman, his emigration is for that to which he emigrated.
The concept of niyyah, or intention, plays a pivotal role in distinguishing the actions and motivations of the people of Eeman (faith) from those of disbelievers. As we’ve gone this far, it is clear to us that niyyah has its functions. Among the functions of niyyah are
1. Confirming your worship solely for Allah and to Allah alone, none others.
2. Define the level of an act i.e. we can have the same readings of 2 unit of salah with different niyyah (e.g. subuh - fard; qobliyah subuh - sunnah)
3. Ability to convert mundane activities of life into acts of worship to Allah and gain rewards for doing it.
The people of Eeman differ fundamentally from disbelievers in that they do not base their actions solely on worldly outcomes. Instead, they focus on pleasing Allah (SWT) and trust Him with the results. Their primary aim is to earn Allah’s favour, and they engage in acts of worship and everyday activities with this intention, thereby building their Paradise.
This phrase is not merely repetitive; rather, the use of “فَ” (al-faa al-tafsirriyah) serves as an explanatory conjunction that expands on the preceding words to clarify the intended meaning, reinforcing the principle that the purity and direction of one’s intention define the spiritual value of their actions
Niyyah resides in the heart, encompassing both intent and desire. In the Quran, niyyah is expressed through terms like iradah (intense desire), ibtigha (desire) and Islam (submission) as per these verses: seen in
فَـَٔاتِ ذَا ٱلۡقُرۡبَىٰ حَقَّهُۥ وَٱلۡمِسۡكِينَ وَٱبۡنَ ٱلسَّبِيلِۚ ذَٰلِكَ خَيۡرٞ لِّلَّذِينَ يُرِيدُونَ وَجۡهَ ٱللَّهِۖ وَأُوْلَٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلۡمُفۡلِحُونَ
So give the relative his right, as well as the needy and the traveler. That is best for those who seek the Countenance of Allah, and it is they who will be successful. [Ar-Ruum 30:38]
وَمَنۡ أَرَادَ ٱلۡأٓخِرَةَ وَسَعَىٰ لَهَا سَعۡيَهَا وَهُوَ مُؤۡمِنٞ فَأُوْلَٰٓئِكَ كَانَ سَعۡيُهُم مَّشۡكُورٗا
And whoever desires the Hereafter and exerts the effort due to it while he is a believer – it is those whose effort is ever appreciated [by Allah]. [Al-Isra’ 17:19]
إِلَّا ٱبۡتِغَآءَ وَجۡهِ رَبِّهِ ٱلۡأَعۡلَىٰ
But only seeking the countenance of his Lord, Most High [Al-Layl 92:20]
فَإِنۡ حَآجُّوكَ فَقُلۡ أَسۡلَمۡتُ وَجۡهِيَ لِلَّهِ وَمَنِ ٱتَّبَعَنِۗ وَقُل لِّلَّذِينَ أُوتُواْ ٱلۡكِتَٰبَ وَٱلۡأُمِّيِّـۧنَ ءَأَسۡلَمۡتُمۡۚ فَإِنۡ أَسۡلَمُواْ فَقَدِ ٱهۡتَدَواْۖ وَّإِن تَوَلَّوۡاْ فَإِنَّمَا عَلَيۡكَ ٱلۡبَلَٰغُۗ وَٱللَّهُ بَصِيرُۢ بِٱلۡعِبَادِ
So if they argue with you, say, ‘I have submitted myself to Allah [in Islam], and [so have] those who follow me.’ And say to those who were given the Scripture and [to] the unlearned, ‘Have you submitted yourselves?’ And if they submit [in Islam], they are rightly guided; but if they turn away – then upon you is only the [duty of] notification. And Allah is Seeing of [His] servants [Ali Imran 3:20]
These references highlight the heart’s role in directing one’s actions towards Allah. Sincere intention, or ikhlas, is a pillar of worship and is essential for the acceptance of deeds. It is reflected in the testimony of faith, “لا إله إلا الله محمد رسول الله”. An intention tainted with invalid motives renders the deed void. Dealing with praise and external validation requires maintaining sincere intentions solely for Allah’s pleasure
Shaytan often tries to instill doubts to prevent believers from performing good deeds. Scholars advise not abandoning good actions, revisiting the original sincere intentions, and seeking refuge in Allah with prayers such:
الَّلهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ أَنْ أُشْرِكَ بِكَ وأَنا أَعلَمُ وأَستَغفِرُكَ لما لا أَعلَمُ
Allah, I seek refuge in You from ascribing any partner to you knowingly. I also seek your protection from unknowingly [ascribing partners to you].
The connection between a person’s actions and their intentions in Islam is profound and multifaceted. When an individual wears clothing according to Shariah (Islamic law), Allah rewards them for their compliance with religious guidelines. If the same individual wears Shariah-compliant clothing with the specific intention of demonstrating Allah’s blessings, they receive even greater reward, as their actions reflect a conscious and deliberate expression of gratitude. Conversely, if a person wears clothing simply because it is customary or the norm, such actions are considered mubah (permissible) and do not carry any particular reward or punishment. However, if someone wears clothing that goes against Shariah, the act is deemed sinful. The severity of the sin depends on the underlying reason for the non-compliance, such as arrogance or laziness, indicating the critical role of intention in determining the spiritual consequences of one’s actions.
The Significance of Niyyah and Hijrah in Islamic Practice
In Islamic Shariah, certain acts of worship are encouraged, promising rewards both in this world and the Hereafter. For instance, maintaining family ties prolongs life, while facing the enemy in war with proper intention earns protective rewards, such as body armour.
Hijrah signifies migration or abstention, moving from impure intentions to pure ones. It involves following the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad SAW in daily life and migrating from difficulties to easier circumstances where one can practise Islam safely.
Seeking worldly rewards for one’s actions does not necessarily constitute shirk (associating partners with Allah). Instead, the rewards in the Hereafter are proportionate to the sincerity of one’s intention towards Allah. For example, Imam Ahmad’s fatwa states that a person engaging in jihad for the sake of gaining war booty will have their rewards in the Hereafter proportionate to the level of their intentions directed towards Allah.
Furthermore, it is permissible to perform actions with the intention of attaining Allah’s rewards or avoiding His punishment, rather than solely for the sake of pleasing Allah. This does not diminish the value of the deed. As stated in Surah An-Nisa:
مَّن كَانَ يُرِيدُ ثَوَابَ ٱلدُّنۡيَا فَعِندَ ٱللَّهِ ثَوَابُ ٱلدُّنۡيَا وَٱلۡأٓخِرَةِۚ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ سَمِيعَۢا بَصِيرٗا
Whoever seeks the reward of this world, then with Allah is the reward of this world and of the Hereafter, and Allah is All-Hearing, All-Seeing. [An-Nisa’ 4:134]
This verse highlights that Allah provides rewards for both worldly and Hereafter intentions, emphasising the importance of aligning one’s intentions closely with seeking Allah’s pleasure. Thus, while desiring Allah’s rewards or fearing His punishment are valid motivations, the ultimate aim should always be to make one’s intention as sincerely for Allah as possible.
Hijra, in the Islamic context, means to abstain from or leave something behind to move towards something else. This can be understood as moving from impure intentions to pure ones, or from a state of difficulty to one of ease for the purpose of practicing religion safely. It involves adhering to the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ in daily life. The hadith further explains that if one’s migration, hijra, is for Allah and His Messenger, it is indeed for Allah and His Messenger, whereas if it is for worldly gains or to marry, then the migration is for that purpose. This distinction underscores that the sincerity and goal of the action are what determine its reward.
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ is not being repetitive in his statement, but rather, he is providing a nuanced explanation. In Arabic rhetoric, when a sentence presents a condition followed by a result, and the statement is repeated, it indicates that the condition connected to the first part differs from that connected to the result. This eloquent structure in the hadith highlights that while the action might be the same externally, the underlying intention gives it a different spiritual outcome.
Implementing the Hadith in Daily Life
By aligning one’s intentions with the desire to please Allah, even mundane activities can be transformed into acts of worship, thus integrating spirituality into every aspect of life.
In order to apply and internalising this hadith in our daily lives, we can take several practical steps as follows:
1. Begin with a Conscious Intention:
Start your day with a clear and sincere intention to please Allah in all your actions. This can be part of your morning routine or prayers. Before engaging in any task, consciously remind yourself why you are doing it and set an intention for it to be for the sake of Allah.
2. Incorporate Niyyah in Acts of Worship:
Ensure that every act of worship, such as Salah (prayer), Zakah (charity), and fasting, is preceded by a sincere intention to seek Allah’s pleasure. Make it a habit to verbalise or mentally affirm your intentions before performing any religious duties.
3. Transform Mundane Activities:
Convert everyday activities into acts of worship by intending them for Allah’s sake. For instance, intend that your work is to provide for your family as a form of fulfilling your responsibilities, which pleases Allah. Make intentions before eating, sleeping, or exercising, that these activities are to maintain your health and energy to better serve Allah
4. Regular Reflection and Self-Check:
Regularly reflect on your intentions. At the end of the day, review your actions and consider whether they were done with the right intention. Make repentance (Tawbah) and seek forgiveness if you realise some actions were done without the proper intention or for the wrong reasons.
5. Dua (Supplication):
Make dua asking Allah to purify your intentions and keep them sincere. Supplicate for sincerity and guidance before starting any significant task or project.
6. Education and Reminders:
Continuously educate yourself about the importance of intention in Islam by reading relevant hadiths and scholarly works.
7. Company and Environment:
Surround yourself with people who are mindful of their intentions and can remind and encourage you to maintain sincere intentions. Engage in community activities that foster a collective consciousness of sincere intentions in all actions.
8. Practising Mindfulness:
Engage in mindfulness practices that help you stay aware of your thoughts and intentions throughout the day. Use moments of stillness, such as during prayers or meditation, to realign your intentions and focus on Allah’s pleasure.
It is critically important to understand the roles of intention (niyyah) in Islam. Actions are not judged solely by their outward appearance but by the sincerity and purpose behind them. Whether performing acts of worship or engaging in daily activities, the intention should always be to seek Allah’s pleasure.
Ultimately, the purity and focus of one’s intention are paramount, guiding the believer towards a life that seeks Allah’s pleasure in all endeavours. Understanding these principles not only enriches one’s faith but also strengthens their commitment to living a righteous and fulfilling life in accordance with Islamic teachings. May Allah guide us all towards sincerity and righteousness in our intentions. Ameen.
Disclaimer:
Hadith #1 - Deeds Are With Intentions
Instructor: Sheikh Dr. Sajid Umar | STEPS TO JANNAH S1 | Forty Hadith Imam Nawawi
These are notes sharing from the Steps of Jannah classes online taught by Sheikh Dr Sajid Umar focusing on Hadith 40 an-Nawawi. The classes are still ongoing, every Monday 8pm UK time. If you would like to join, please email stepstojannah12@gmail.com
The notes written are from a student’s personal notes transcribed from the sessions. Should there be any error, May Allah forgive us, and do feedback (ain1810@gmail.com) so that it can get amended, and may it be beneficial to all of us and may Allah reward Jannah to Sh Sajid for the beneficial ‘ilm being shared and to all of the students Steps to Jannah, Ameen.