Importance of Intention In Islam (notes)

 IMPORTANCE OF INTENTIONS IN ISLAM

13 Muharram 1435 Hijri

- This means those aspects of Islam that you need to know for you to be considered a good Muslim.

- This is knowledge you cannot do without it.

WHAT IS THE DEFINITION OF NIYYAH (INTENTION)

The rasul (ﷺ) said that actions are by intentions.

Umar ibn al-Khattab said, 'I heard the Messenger of Allah (), say, "Actions only go by intentions. Everyone gets what they intend."

[Al-Bukhari (1) and Muslim (1907)]

- The scholars differ in regards this hadith

- The modern day scholars claim that this hadith is talking about acts of Ibadaat like salah, zakat etc

- But the earlier scholars say that this hadith is talking about every action even when you have to eat.

- This is to view of Ahmad Ibn Hanbal (RA); they generalised the hadith

They hanbalis used this hadith: 'each time you go to bed with your wife is charity' as their hujjah for their argument.

The Prophet (ﷺ) said: “And in a man’s sexual intercourse (with his wife) there is a Sadaqah (charity)” (Muslim, 1006)

- They say that if this is an act of charity then you need an intention for the action; but the correct view is that when you have an action that has been classified as an act of ibadat by the rasul then you need an intention for that:

- The hadith means that if a man performs virtuous deed with a good intention his deed will be accepted by Allah and he shall be rewarded for his virtuous deed.

The Prophet (ﷺ) said: “Actions are but by intentions and each person will have but that which he intended.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari (1) and Muslim (1907)

- But if another man performs the same action but with bad intention.

-e.g. to show off or seek fame

- Then his deeds will be rejected by Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَىٰ) and may even be punished for having a bad intention

- This is why the rasul (ﷺ) said in a hadith that:

Abu Hurayra said, "I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say, 'The first of people to be judged on the Day of Rising will be a man who was martyred. He will be brought and will be informed of the blessings he had and will acknowledge them. Allah will say, "What did you do with them?" He will say, "I fought for You until I was martyred." Allah will say, "You lie. Rather you fought so it would be said, 'A bold man!' And so it was said." Then the command will be given and he will be dragged on his face until he is thrown into the Fire. There will also be a man who studied knowledge and taught it and recited the Qur'an. He will be brought and informed of his blessings which he will acknowledge. Allah will say, "What did you do with them?" He will say, "I studied knowledge and taught it and I recited the Qur'an for You." He will say, "You lie. Rather you studied so that it would be said, 'A scholar!' and you recited so that it would be said, 'He is a reciter!' And so it was said." Then the command will be given and he will be dragged on his face until he is thrown into the Fire. There will also be a man to whom Allah gave a lot of wealth and all sorts of property. He will be brought and informed of his blessings which he will acknowledge. Allah will say, "What did you do with them?" He will say, "There was no path in which You like spending to be done but that I spent in it for You." He will say, "You lie. Rather you did it so that it would be said, 'He is generous.' and so it was said." Then the command will be given and he will be dragged on his face until he is thrown into the Fire.'" [Sahih Muslim (3/1513) No. 1905]

- Therefore, the meaning of the hadith is that every man shall have reward of what he intended.

- If you should do a halal action and didn't make intention to do an act of Ibaadat then you will neither be rewarded nor punished.

Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَىٰ) said:

There is no good in most of their secret talks save (in) him who orders Sadaqah (charity in Allah's Cause), or Ma'ruf (Islamic Monotheism and all the good and righteous deeds which Allah has ordained), or conciliation between mankind, and he who does this, seeking the good Pleasure of Allah, We shall give him a great reward (An-Nisa 4:114)

- Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَىٰ) mentioned in the ayat righteous deed like sadaqa; but the only way you can gain the Baraka is to have the right intention.

- If he did it with the wrong intention then he loses from his actions.

This is why when the rasul (ﷺ); was asked about who was the fighter in the path of Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَىٰ).

- He said only the one who fought to make Allah's (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَىٰ) word the highest is the fighter in the path of Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَىٰ).

Narrated By Abu Musa: A man came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and asked, "A man fights for war booty; another fights for fame and a third fights for showing off; which of them fights in Allah's Cause?" The Prophet said, "He who fights that Allah's Word (i.e. Islam) should be superior, fights in Allah's Cause." [Sahih Bukhari, Vol 4, Book 52, Hadith 65]

- The hadith below also tells you that doing actions with the wrong intentions are not accepted.

Whoever seeks knowledge to argue with the scholars, or to show off with the ignorant people, and attracts the faces of the people towards him, Allah would enter him into the Hellfire." [Hasan - Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah]

- Instead they will be rejected and you will dumped in the hellfire,

- You need two conditions for your pious deed to be accepted:

1. IT HAS TO PRESCRIBED BY ALLAH OR HIS RASUL

2. IT HAS TO BE DONE IN ACCORDANCE TO THE SUNNAH OF THE RASUL

Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَىٰ) said:

Say (O Muhammad ﷺ to mankind) : "If you (really) love Allah then follow me (i.e. accept Islamic Monotheism, follow the Qur'an and the Sunnah), Allah will love you and forgive you of your sins. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful."  (Al Imran 3:31)

And whatsoever the Messenger (Muhammad ﷺ) gives you, take it, and whatsoever he forbids you, abstain (from it), and fear Allah. Verily, Allah is Severe in punishment. (Al-Hashr 59:7)

- These ayats are used by the sincere scholars to debate with Parvezis.

And We have also sent down unto you (O Muhammad ﷺ) the reminder and the advice (the Qur'an), that you may explain clearly to men what is sent down to them, and that they may give thought. (An-Nahl 16:44)

- These people reject hadith and claim that they follow only the Quran.

- They are liars because they do not believe in either Quran or hadith.

Say (O Muhammad ﷺ to mankind) : "If you (really) love Allah then follow me (i.e. accept Islamic Monotheism, follow the Qur'an and the Sunnah), Allah will love you and forgive you of your sins. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful."  (Al Imran 3:31)

- You are not allowed to make tawaf around the grave because it wasn't prescribed.

- There are many people that are sincere in what they are doing but they are sincerely wrong;

Good intentions don't justify in doing haram and dabbling in Bidah, Shirk and Kufr and Zindaqah (heresy and heretic).

"Verily, Allah accepts only from those who are Al-Muttaqun (the pious - see V.2:2)." (Al-Ma'idah 5:27)

Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَىٰ) doesn't accept the deeds of a mad man.

Because when you study the fiqh of ibadah (Salah, Zakah, Hajj) the scholars will tell you that the insanity a madman can not make his niyyah.

One of the conditions for ibadah to be accepted is Islam(if a kafir does salah,saum,hajj) they are not accepted.

Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَىٰ) tells us about the pious deeds of Kuffar in 25:23.

And We shall turn to whatever deeds they (disbelievers, polytheists, sinners, etc.) did, and We shall make such deeds as scattered floating particles of dust.  (Al-Furqan 25:23)

- The deeds are; blown away.

- Maturity is also needed for an act of ibadah to be accepted.

e.g. If a five year old did hajj, it would be accepted but he'll have to make it again when he's grown up.

- Hadith of mother asking the prophet about taking his son to hajj

- Therefore Sanity, Islam and maturity are three conditions for ibadah to be accepted.

THE AXIS OF ISLAM

The scholars of Islam say the axis of Islam are based on four hadiths.

1) Actions are by intentions (bukhari)

Umar ibn al-Khattab said, 'I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), say, "Actions only go by intentions. Everyone gets what they intend" [Al-Bukhari (1) and Muslim (1907)]

Imam Ahmed (RA) was of the opinion that axis of Islam are three.

2) Whoever innovates in this matter of ours will have it rejected.

On the authority of Aisha (RA): The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "He who innovates something in this matter of ours that is not of it will have it rejected."  [Al-Bukhari (2697) and Muslim (171]

Thats why a good intention is not good enough to dabble in Bidah, Kufr, Shirk and zandaqah.

3) What is halal is clear and what is haram is clear.

The hadith of al-Nu'man b. Bashir, "The licit is clear and the illicit is clear"  [Jami' al-Uloom wa al-Hikam, Ibn Rajab (1/61)]

An-Nu'man ibn Bashir said, "I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), say, 'The halal is clear and the haram is clear. But between the two there are doubtful things about which most people have no knowledge. Whoever exercises caution with regard to what is doubtful, shows prudence in respect of his deen and his honour. Whoever gets involved in the doubtful things is like a herdsman who grazes his animals near a private preserve (hima). He is bound to enter it. Every king has a private preserve and the private preserve of Allah on His earth are the things that He has made forbidden. There is a lump of flesh in the body, the nature of which is that when it is sound, the entire body is sound, and when it is corrupt, the entire body is corrupt - it is the heart.'"  [Al-Bukhari (52) and Muslim (1599)]

Ahmed ibn hanbal (RA) only picked out these hadith; the scholars of today choose another hadith.

4) PART OF BEING A GOOD MUSLIM IS TO MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS

On the authority of Abu Hurairah, who said: The Messenger of Allah said ﷺ); “A sign of one’s excellence in his Islam, is ignoring what does not concern him.”  [Tirmidhi 2318, Ibn e Majah 3976, Ahmed 1737, Al-Muwatta 1604]

The prophet is telling mind your own business.

The people of bidah say their intentions are good, but there is no good intention for a bidah.

Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَىٰ) asked the people who innovate a very important question in 49:15

Say: "Will you inform Allah about your religion? While Allah knows all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth, and Allah is All-Aware of everything.  (Al-Hujurat 49:16)

Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَىٰ) asks a rhetorical question:" are you seeking to teach Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَىٰ) the deen?" people of bidah add and subtract from Islam.

Aisha narrated the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "Those who give respect to a bid'ati (innovator in Religion) surely will be counted as a helper of destroying Islam." [Al-Tabarani in 'al-Mu’jam al-Awsat' (7/35) No. 6772 and al-Bayhaqi in 'Shu'ab al-Emaan' (12/57) No. 9018]

Hadith of the prophet (ﷺ) makes this warning clear.

Sometime you'll see 70 people in the masjid praying fajr, and only 50 receive barakah for fajr the other 20 came there to show off and socialise.

On the surface, all of them prayed fajr, but not everyone came for the right niyyah.

(Remember) the Day when the Shin shall be laid bare (i.e. the Day of Resurrection) and they shall be called to prostrate (to Allah), but they (hypocrites) shall not be able to do so (Al-Qalam 68:42)

The Prophet (ﷺ) said in the hadith about the shin of Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَىٰ) on day of judgement everyone will bow down to it except the munafiqs, they use to bow down in duniya for ulterior motives.

Narrated By Abu Said: I heard the Prophet ﷺ saying, "Allah will bring forth the severest Hour, and then all the Believers, men and women, will prostrate themselves before Him, but there will remain those who used to prostrate in the world for showing off and for gaining good reputation. Such people will try to prostrate (on the Day of Judgment) but their back swill be as stiff as if it is one bone (a single vertebra)." [Sahih Bukhari, Vol 6, Book 60, Hadith 441]

These munafiqeen will only have a single vertebrate, which will cause them to be unable bow down on that day.

Verily, the hypocrites seek to deceive Allah, but it is He Who deceives them. And when they stand up for As-Salat (the prayer), they stand with laziness and to be seen of men, and they do not remember Allah but little. (An-Nisa 4:142)

Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَىٰ) speaks about them in 4:142

Another evidence is in surah 107 maun = small acts of kindness & small acts of charity.

Have you seen him who denies the Recompense? That is he who repulses the orphan (harshly), And urges not the feeding of AlMiskin (the poor),So woe unto those performers of Salat (prayers) (hypocrites), Those who do good deeds only to be seen (of men),And refuse Al-Ma'un (small kindnesses e.g. salt, sugar, water, etc) {Al Ma'un 107:1-7}

If a person made hijrah to improve his deen, he gets barakah for his hijarah.

Your deen is one of the six sacred things.

If you journey to a country for commerce, you will also get barakah because to feed your family is an act of ibadah

Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَىٰ) tells us in the Quran: do not forget your portion of the dunya.

But seek, with that (wealth) which Allah has bestowed on you, the home of the Hereafter, and forget not your portion of legal enjoyment in this world, and do good as Allah has been good to you, and seek not mischief in the land. Verily, Allah likes not the Mufsidun (those who commit great crimes and sins, oppressors, tyrants, mischief-makers, corrupts). {Surah Al Qasas 28:77}

When a poor man has a daughter, people will use money to seduce her for zina.

Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَىٰ) tells us that He has put barakah in commerce.

Those who eat Riba (usury) will not stand (on the Day of Resurrection) except like the standing of a person beaten by Shaitan (Satan) leading him to insanity. That is because they say: "Trading is only like Riba (usury)," whereas Allah has permitted trading and forbidden Riba (usury). So whosoever receives an admonition from his Lord and stops eating Riba (usury) shall not be punished for the past; his case is for Allah (to judge); but whoever returns [to Riba (usury)], such are the dwellers of the Fire - they will abide therein. {Surah Al Baqarah 2:275}

Sheikh in South African went to a masjid; He taught them the verse to not forget your portion of dunya people were surprised he wasn't preaching poverty.

Rasul (ﷺ) use to seek refuge from poverty just like he used to seek refuge from the torment of the grave and the fitnah of the dajjal.

SOMETIMES THE INTENTION OF A MAN CAN LEAD TO HIS DOWNFALL

Abu Huraira narrated the Prophet (ﷺ) said: “The one who gets married with the intention not to pay dowry to his wife is a fornicator. And the one who borrows money with the intention not to pay back is a thief.” [Ibn Hibban in ‘al-Majruheen’ (2/261) No. 941]

- Rasul (ﷺ) made mention of a man who borrowed money to get married for the mahr but his intention was not to pay it back.

- The prophet (ﷺ) said he was a thief.

Abu Huraira narrated the Prophet (ﷺ) said: “The one who gets married with the intention not to pay dowry to his wife is a fornicator. And the one who borrows money with the intention not to pay back is a thief.” [Ibn Hibban in ‘al-Majruheen’ (2/261) No. 941]

Sometime the intention of a man can be his salvation.

The Prophet (ﷺ) said if someone got married to preserve his deen and not dabble in fornication/adultery. Even if he is poor, Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَىٰ) says I will make it compulsory on Me to feed this man.

The Prophet Mohammad (ﷺ), he said: “Whosoever asks Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَىٰ) for martyrdom with sincerity Allah (SWT) will put him at the level of the martyrs in paradise even if he dies in his sleep” (Muslim 1909)

The Prophet (ﷺ) also said: any man who makes his intention to die on the battlefield, but he dies on his bed; he will get the barakah of those who die on the battlefield.

Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَىٰ) will put you amongst the shahadah on Day of Judgment cause of your intention even though you died in your bed.

Showing off will destroys the pious deeds,

Insincerity / Hypocrisy; is the one reason for the barakah for our deeds to be destroyed.

Abu Musa al-Ash’ari (RA) reported that Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said: "O people, save yourselves from this shirk (ash-Shirk al-Khafi) for it is more inconspicuous than the creeping of ant." So someone, whom Allah willed to say, said: 'How do we save ourselves from it while it is more inconspicuous than the creeping of ant ya Rasool Allah?' Prophet (ﷺ) said: “Say: Allahumma inni audhubika minal nushrika bika shayaan na'alamuhu, wa nastaghfiruka lima la na'alam (O Allah we take Your refuge from doing shirk with You knowingly, and ask for Your forgiveness for doing it unknowingly)"

[Musnad Ahmed (4/403) No. 19622 and Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaibah (6/70) No. 29547]

The Prophet (ﷺ) described this as a black ant climbing on a black wall in a black night.

This is the similitude of those who do deeds to show off; they don't realise their deeds become null and void.

The place for the intention is the heart and because of that, the prophet said: Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَىٰ) doesn't look at your appearances but at your hearts.

On the authority of Abu Huraira, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "Verily Allah does not look to your bodies nor to your faces but He looks to your hearts," and he pointed towards the heart with his fingers. [Sahih Muslim (4/1986) No. 2564]

- Because of that, the Prophet (ﷺ) said: Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَىٰ) doesn't look at your appearances but at your hearts.

- If a person goes to gym to be fit for jihad, he will get barakah for that for every minutes while you are there.

- Whoever intends to do a good deed but didn't; Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَىٰ) writes it down as one good deed.

On the authority of Ibn Abbas (RA) from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), from what he has related from his Lord; Verily Allah ta’ala has written down the good deeds and the evil deeds and then explained it [by saying] "Whosoever intended to perform a good deed but did not do it then Allah writes it down with Himself as a complete good deed And if he intended to perform it and then did perform it then Allah writes it down with Himself as from ten good deeds up to seven hundred times up to many times multiplied and if he intended to perform an evil deed, but did not do it then Allah writes it down with Himself as a complete good deed And if he intended it [i.e., the evil deed] and then performed it then Allah writes it down as one evil deed" [related by al-Bukhari (6491) and Muslim (131)

- And if they end up doing it, it is written as 10 hasanats and this is how merciful is Allah; Allah's (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَىٰ) mercy prevails His wrath.

- If you intend to do a bad deeds and don't do it, you get one hasanat and If you end up doing it, you only get one bad deed on your scale.

- The prophet (ﷺ) said about those who didn't part take in jihad in the time of the prophet (ﷺ) that they will get the reward of those that went forward.

He who emigrates (from his home) in the Cause of Allah, will find on earth many dwelling places and plenty to live by. And whosoever leaves his home as an emigrant unto Allah and His Messenger, and death overtakes him, his reward is then surely incumbent upon Allah. And Allah is Ever of Forgiving, Most Merciful (An-Nisa 4:100)

The Prophet (ﷺ) also said: “There are people in Medina, whenever you cross a valley or march towards battle they are with you in reward. They only stayed behind because of a valid excuse” (Al-Bukhari, 4423)

When the Prophet (ﷺ) went to Tabuk, some people couldn't go because they had valid excuses, the prophet (ﷺ) said there are people in medina who are not with us but they are with the companion who went in reward.

These people who couldn't go had a valid excuses and were victims of circumstance

In Surah 9:92 explains the above hadith.

Nor (is there blame) on those who came to you to be provided with mounts, and when you said "I can find no mounts for you," they turned back, while their eyes overflowing with tears of grief that they could not find anything to spend (for Jihad). (At-Tawbah 9:92)

- Some companions wanted to fight the Romans, the prophet told some of them that he couldn't take them to the front line because of lack of resources (camels/mounts).

- These companions cried and Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَىٰ) talks about them; female companions who took part in jihad like Khawla bint Azwar (RAA).

http://www.siddiqi.org/khawla/khawla_bint_alazwar.htm

- Her brother taught her to use the sword; she even rescued her brother from the kuffar.

- She was dressed as a man this was sheikhs daleel that a muslimah/mujahiddah can wear pant in the battlefield.

- She helped in the conquest of Syria and even led some battalions in the battlefield.

- Under Khalid ibn waleed (RA) in Arab / Gulf countries all female training academies are named after her.

YOU NEED INTENTION FOR WUDU

- How to make intention for wudu; you say it in your heart.

- You have it in your consciousness that I want to purify my self from minor impurities for ibadah.

- Then your intention was made you don't have to say it out loud with your mouth audio able this is bidah.

- How do you make intention for Ghusl (Bath); I intend to purify myself from major impurities for salah; again in the heart not to be uttered.

INTENTION FOR SALAH:

If you don't make niyyah for salah (Fajr, Dhuhr, Asr) you will get no barakah for your Salah.

HOW DO YOU MAKE NIYYAH FOR SALAH.

I intend to perform units of rakah for - Salah but this is done in the heart not uttered.

Only one intention is uttered for hajj and umrah, otherwise for all acts of ibadah it is in the heart.

 for hajj and umrah: You say in your house; Labbaika Hajj / Umrah

When you travelling with companions

Labbaik Allahumma labbaik:

Narrated By 'Abdullah bin 'Umar; The Talbiya of Allah's Apostle was 'Labbaika Allahumma labbaik, Labbaika la sharika Laka labbaik Inna-l-hamda wan-ni'mata Laka walmulk, La sharika Laka' (I respond to Your call O Allah, I respond to Your call, and I am obedient to Your orders, You have no partner, I respond to Your call, All the praises and blessings are for You, All the sovereignty is for You, And You have no partners with you)  [Al-Bukhari (1549) and Muslim (1184)]

HOW DO YOU MAKE YOUR INTENTION FOR RAMADAN

Imam Malik (RA) said you only make one intention for Ramadan and the majority says, you have to intend for every Ramadan fast; for nawafil fasting you can make your intentions up to noon.

The correct opinion of fasting in Ramadan is to do it before the fast.

Hafsah (RA) reported the Prophet (ﷺ) as saying, “He, who has not formed an intention (to fast) before dawn, has not fasted”

[Sunan Tirmidhi (3/10 No. 730, Sunan Abu Dawud (2/329) No. 2454, Sunan al-Nasa'i (4/196) No. 2331, Sunan Ibn Majah (2/59 No. 1700, Sunan al-Darime (2/12) No. 1698, Musnad Ahmad (6/287) No. 26500]

The intention of the imam is different from the ones he is leading in salah.

If imam is a traveller, he will pray the shortened salah, (2 rakats).

The congregation, which are locals, would have to complete the two extra rakahs the above case is an exception in case the imam is a traveller.

The imam is a resident and praying Asr you are a traveller and missed Dhuhr you can join the jama'ah and you pray for dhuhr even though the imam is praying Asr.