‘Umar ibn al-Khattab narrated that the Prophet (SAW) said: “Actions are (a result) only of the intentions (of the actor), and an individual receives that which he intends. Therefore, whoever has emigrated for the sake of Allah and His Messenger, then his emigration was for Allah and His Messenger. Whosoever emigrated for the sake of worldly gain, or a woman (whom he desires) to marry, then his emigration is for the sake of that which (moved him) to emigrate.” [Bukhari and Muslim]

Known as the ‘hadith of intention’, this hadith of the Prophet (SAW) holds utmost importance. It makes reference to a man who migrated from Makkah to Madinah when the Muslims were commanded to make the hijrah, but he did so not for the purpose of fulfilling that command but rather to marry a woman. In clarifying the reality of the actions of this man the Prophet (SAW) laid down very important principles relating to the nexus between intention, action and reward.

The hadith, which Imam al-Shafi’i considered “a third of all knowledge”, indicates that intention is the measure for rendering actions true and valid, so that where the intention is sound the action is sound, and where the intention is corrupt the action is corrupt.

Abu Dawud said, as related by Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali, that he looked into the hadith of the Musnad (of Imam Ahmad) and it consisted of 40 000 ahadith. Then he looked again and found the 40 000 ahadith revolved around 4 ahadith, one of them was the hadith of Umar (Ra).

The concept of intention [niyah] is crucial to our Islam, but unfortunately in recent times it has been blurred and utilised as a justification for many incorrect actions. In order to cast light on the issue, we must first have a firm understanding of the types of actions people undertake, the issue of intention, and the relationship between the two.

Imam al-Ghazali in his Ihya’ Uloom al-Din divides actions relating to intention into three: 1. Sinful actions, 2. Pious actions and 3. Lawful actions.

He goes on to state that the sinful actions are those actions which the Shari’ah forbids, even if accompanied by a good intention. A good intention does not change the sinful act into a virtuous act. For example, when one steals in order to donate towards the building of a mosque. The Imam also states that ignorance is noexcuse as seeking knowledge is compulsory upon every male and female.

Further, as Imam al-Nawawi notes in his commentary on this hadith, al-Harith al-Muhasibi (d. 243H) said, “There is no sincerity in an act which is forbidden nor in something frowned upon, such as the one who looks at that which is not permitted for him to look at, claiming that he looks at it in order to reflect upon the workmanship of Allah.”

Pious actions are those acts that the Shari’ah orders and it is accompanied by a good intention. If, however, one carries out the devotional (for example) act but the intention is not a good one (i.e. it is for other than Allah (SWT)), like performing it to please others, then it becomes sinful.

In a lawful [mubah/halal] action, the Imam explains, the rewards can be increased according to the number of intentions so long as they attain nearness to Allah (SWT). For example if one eats prior to prayer with the intention of ensuring concentration in prayer, then he has worshiped Allah (SWT) by his eating (which is merely a lawful action, not a pious or sinful one). And if one has relations with his wife in order to preserve his deen and to have pious offspring, then he has worshipped Allah (SWT) by his marriage.

Shaykh Taqi ud-din al-Nabhani draws another classification which helps to clarify the connection between intentions and actions. He divides actions into three categories: Actions [A’maal], Verbal transactions [Tassarufaat Qawliyyah] and Physical activities [Tassarufaat Fi’liyyah].

The A’maal involve either undertaking certain actions or refraining from them. Examples of the a’maal are wudu, salat, fasting, jihad, giving sadaqah etc. Wudu is done by the limbs, while in fasting the limbs are restraining from doing certain things. In these actions the intention plays an integral part, and it must be based on Islam. Along with the intention, however, the action itself must also be based on Islam.

Consequently, one cannot pray maghrib without making the intention for it, nor can one make the proper intention for maghrib and then perform four rakahs purposefully rather than three. The same applies to actions such as working to revive the Muslim Ummah. One has to have the correct intention and then follow the intention up with the correct actions based on solid evidence from the Shari’ah of Islam.

As for the verbal transactions, they include both two-party and single-party contracts. The former occurs between two parties such as buying and selling, establishing partnerships, renting and leasing etc. The latter involves one party, such as a will or waqf. Both kinds of these transactions are called verbal transactions because they require a specific type of utterance or expression and not a physical action. These actions have nothing to do with intentions. The rule regarding them is based on the contract format and structure, whether written or verbally expressed. Hence it is wrong to say that the legal interpretation of contracts is based on the intentions and the subjective meanings, rather it is based on the text of the contract.

Physical activities are the day to day actions undertaken by individuals in their lives, such as the sexual relationship between a husband and wife, digging a well, cultivating the land, eating, drinking, sleeping etc. These and actions similar to these have nothing to do with the intention. The hadith of intention does not apply here. Each individual behaves the way he wants without any restriction, as long as it is in accordance with the divine rules [ahkam shar’i].

The difference between the Actions [A’maal] and Physical activities [Tassarufaat Fi’liyyah] is that the A’maal are actions performed by our limbs for the sake of the action itself, not the consequences of it. For example, the hands are used to perform wudu as well as to rinse themselves. Both involve similar hand motions; however, in the case of wudu, it is done for the sake of having done wudu and being in a state of tahara, not for having physically cleaned oneself, while rinsing the hands is done to clean the hands. Therefore wudu needs an intention, while rinsing the hands does not need an intention.

Another example is that travelling needs an intention when making hijrah or being eligible for shortening the prayers (qasr), while merely travelling to the shopping centre does not need an intention and it is just a routine action.

Thus the A’maal, by themselves, do not indicate the objective: the intention gives the A’maal their objective. Praying two rak’at in Fajr does not indicate whether it is fard or sunna; however, it is the intention which distinguishes between them, even though the physical actions of both prayers are the same.

In concluding let us emphasise the importance of having a sincere intention in our actions. Those actions which we do to attain closeness to Allah (SWT) must be done solely for the sake of Allah (SWT). If they are done, solely or partly, to show others, then they are unacceptable to Allah (SWT) and unworthy of reward.

The intention is so powerful a thing that, if properly made, can make even the mubah actions like eating and drinking and exercising into rewardable acts that bring us closer to Allah (SWT). If done regularly, we can make our entire lives into one continuous act of worship, allowing us to reach new heights of closeness to Allah (SWT). There is little that can be better than that.