KITAB ARBA'IN AN-NAWAWI
by: Imam An-Nawawi
Actions are Judged by Intentions
عَنْ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَبِي حَفْصٍ عُمَرَ بْنِ الْخَطَّابِ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ: «إِنَّمَا الأَعْمَالُ بِالنِّيَّاتِ، وَإِنَّمَا لِكُلِّ امْرِئٍ مَا نَوَى، فَمَنْ كَانَتْ هِجْرَتُهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ فَهِجْرَتُهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ، وَمَنْ كَانَتْ هِجْرَتُهُ لِدُنْيَا يُصِيبُهَا أَوْ امْرَأَةٍ يَنْكِحُهَا فَهِجْرَتُهُ إِلَى مَا هَاجَرَ إِلَيْهِ»۔
[رَوَاهُ الْبُخَارِيُّ وَمُسْلِمٌ]Translation:
It is narrated from the Commander of the Faithful, Umar bin al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him), that I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) saying: "Verily, actions are judged by intentions, and for every person is only what he intended. So whoever's migration was for Allah and His Messenger, then his migration is for Allah and His Messenger, and whoever's migration was for the world to attain it or for a woman to marry her, then his migration is for that which he migrated to." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]
Benefits of the Hadith:
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1
Foundation of Religion:
This Hadith is a fundamental principle of the religion. This is why great Muhadditheen (hadith scholars), including Imam al-Bukhari, began their books with it to serve as a reminder to correct one's intention before every action. -
2
Universally Accepted:
This Hadith is narrated only from Hazrat Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), yet despite this, the entire Ummah is agreed upon its correctness. -
3
The Place of Intention is the Heart:
The domain of intention is solely the heart; uttering it with the tongue is not correct. Meanwhile, actions include all works of the heart, tongue, and body. -
4
Condition for Acceptance:
No deed is accepted by Allah until it is free from showing off and is done purely for the pleasure of Allah. -
5
Ordinary Actions as Worship:
If the intention is good and purely for Allah, even ordinary daily tasks (such as eating, drinking, and sleeping) become worship and are rewarded. -
6
Insignificance of Worldly Pursuits:
The words of the hadith indicate that a deed done for the sake of Allah and His Messenger ﷺ has great magnificence, while the intention of only attaining the world is an extremely despicable and trivial matter. -
7
Reward Based on Intention:
A person receives rewards according to their intention. If someone makes a firm intention to do good, but is unable to perform it due to a genuine compulsion, they still receive the reward. -
8
Prophetic Method of Education:
Providing practical examples to explain a concept (such as the example of migration in this hadith) reflects the effective educational methodology of the Prophet ﷺ. -
9
The True Meaning of Migration:
Migration is not merely moving from one location to another; abandoning sins and distancing oneself from bad company are also essential forms of spiritual migration. -
10
Purifying Intention:
Worldly desires may attempt to mislead a person, but understanding the paramount importance of Allah's pleasure makes dispelling insincere thoughts and purifying intentions achievable.