Hadith Translation, Background & Commentary: “Actions are According to Intentions”
Disclaimer: This hadith is taken from زاد الطالبين (Provisions for the Seekers) originally written by Shaykh Maulana Muhammad Ashiq Ilahi al-Bulandshehri in Arabic. Provision for the Seekers is the English version translated with additional commentary by Abdur Rahman ibn Yusuf. No copyright infringement intended whatsoever. All rights belong to the publisher(s).
Original & Translation
قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيهِ وَسَلَّمَ إنَّمَا الْأَعْمَالُ بِالنِّيَّاتِ وَ إِنَّمَا لِاِمْرِئٍ مَانَوَى، فَمَنْ كَانَتْ هِجْرَتُهُ إلَى اللهِ وَرَسُولِهِ فَهِجْرَتُهُ إلَى اللهِ وَرَسُولِهِ، وَمَنْ كَانَتْ هِجْرَتُهُ إلَى دُنْيَا يُصِيبُهَا أَوِ امْرَأَةٍ يَتَزَوَّجُهَا فَهِجْرَتُهُ إلَى مَا هَاجَرَ إلَيْهِ
Nabi (SAW) said, “Actions are only judged by intentions and a person only gets what he intended from that action; whoever’s hijra was for the sake of (towards) Allah (SWT) and his Rasool (SAW) then that migration is towards Allah and Rasool (SAW), and whoever migrated for the sake of dunya (worldly reason) or a woman to marry then that migration is towards only that worldly reason.”
This is an authentic hadith from Muslim and Bukhari.
Shaan e Wurood شان ورود (Background)
A lot of sahabi migrated from Makkah to Madinah for the sake of Allah (SWT), Rasulullah (SAW), and their deen. Therefore, they got reward from this. They were called the muhajireen.
A man migrated to Madinah along with the other Muslims (who were intending to migrate for Islam) to marry a woman named Umme Qays ام قيص. She would only marry him if he came to Madinah. This man came to be known as “Muhaajir Umme Qays”.
What is the significance (fadheelat فضيلت) of this hadith?
Books start with this hadith because it gives people the opportunity to set or renew their intentions. It serves as a reminder of why they are utilizing their time (an action) to learn ‘ilm (knowledge). Since this hadith states that actions are according to intentions, one should start by rectifying their intention before beginning an action.
-In order to follow comprehensive knowledge of the deen (Islam), the ahadith that make up the foundation are…
- 3 hadith (which is the opinion of the majority of scholars, including Imam Ahmad ‘ibn Hanbal):
- (1) actions are judged by intentions
- (2) the halal is clear and the haram is clear and between them are doubtful matters
- (3) and whoever innovates in this religion that which is not from it, then that action is not accepted by Allah (SWT)
- 4 hadith (which is the opinion of Imam Aboo Dawud):
- (1) actions are judged by intentions
- (2) the halal is clear and the haram is clear and between them are doubtful matters
- (3) the believer does not truly believe until he wishes for his brother that which he wishes for himself
- (4) from the excellence of a person’s Islam is his leaving that which does not concern him
What is the difference between ‘Amal عمل and F’il فعل?
Af’aal (plural of f’il) are actions that are voluntary and involuntary while ‘amaal (plural of ‘amal) are actions that are voluntary actions that are done out of your own free will. A f’il could be any general act with any level of simplicity/hardship. ‘Amal, on the other hand, is an act that entails some degree of hardship.
Definition of Niyyah نيت
The definition of niyyah نيت is “intention”. You get what you intended because actions are based on intentions.
Making an intention is a function of the heart and not the tongue. An action can only be accepted by Allah (SWT) if the niyyah is sound. For example, a person’s fast includes abstaining from food, drink, and sexual intercourse from dawn to sunset. This person’s fast will only be considered valid if they had intended to fast for the sake of fasting and not, for instance, because they did not have the time to eat during a busy workday.
A person should set their niyyah right at the beginning of each action. Doing so is also a form of motivation and can prevent one from indulging in unnecessary or even harmful acts. A separate hadith states “Verily, Allah (SWT) is beautiful and He loves beauty.” Fixing one’s niyyah results in a person whose actions are beautiful and, therefore, that person becomes pleasant and closer to Allah (SWT).
Benefits of Niyyah نيت
#1: Making niyyah before an action differentiates a habitual act (called ‘aadat عادت) from an act of worship (called ibaadat عبادت).
#2: Furthermore, making niyyah differentiates one ibaadat from another ibaadat. For example, it establishes the difference between fardh fast from nafl salaat. Also, between a fardh (obligatory) fast from a nafl (optional) fast.
#3: Another benefit is that it helps one to differentiate one m’abood معبود (object of worship) from another m’abood. For example, differentiating between the prostration (sajdah) in front of a king and that in front of Allah (SWT). Niyyah can be changed if, for example, one was praying salah properly and with utmost attention in front of someone to show off (called riyyah) rather than praying how they would normally pray, which is often rushed.
Why is Niyyah Repeated Twice?
Why is niyyah repeated twice in this hadith? Firstly, it is for emphasis. Also, scholars say because the first time it states that the credibility/validity of an action depends on the intention. In the second repetition, niyyah was mentioned again to convey that the degree of the reward received by the doer is based on the sincerity of the intention.
Why is a woman specifically mentioned when dunya (worldly reason) is already mentioned?
Firstly, the hadith “actions are according to intentions” was revealed due to the aforementioned incident (the shaan e wurood), which refers to a very specific case even though the hadith is applied to literally every single action a person can do.
Secondly, there was a chance of corruption or dilution of the niyyah. The Messenger of Allah (SAW) said it in order to clarify the intention of the muhajireen who were migrating to Madinah from Makkah. There was consolation for the unmarried muhajireen as the Ansaar (people from Madinah) were friendly and were willing to divorce one of their wives (if they had multiple) for the muhajireen to marry. The Ansaar did this sacrifice and were lovingly supportive of the muhajireen. It was done in order to protect the chastity of the muhajireen and to help them to abstain from sin.
Thirdly, women are in general a fitna/trial/weakness for men and men are more susceptible to this trial. The Messenger of Allah (SAW) told the Muslims as such to emphasize the weight of this wisdom.
Ways to Implement This Hadith Into Your Life
The Power of Intention (Niyyah): How can we use our intention to strengthen our actions?
Good action: an action that is good in itself and intention can be:
–Good; would get max reward from Allah (SWT) as the action is pure and sincere. You would get the reward if you intended to do a good deed but were unable to perform it and you would get multiple times that reward if that action was carried out.
–Bad; the action would not be accepted and would grant no reward. However, you would get reward if you intended to do a bad deed but resisted it.
–Lack of intention; would get the basic reward but you would lose out on a lot because that action or those actions, at one point or another, become habitual for you. Habitual and/or mundane actions can be turned into good actions if niyyah is checked and adjusted. For example, a person eating, sleeping, exercising with the intent to stay healthy to worship Allah (SWT) would result in a source of reward. (SubhanAllah! We should think about how much we are really missing out.)
Bad action: cannot be justified as they are clearly defined and is a sin no matter what. Therefore, the degree of sin depends on the intention:
Good; would still be sinful and the degree of sin would vary depending on the degree of intention.
Bad; would get full sin.
Lack of intention; would lie somewhere in between.
Neutral action: For the unsought praise a person receives (on some accomplishment), it is not blameworthy, even if one gets happiness from it. The Messenger of Allah (SAW) described this praise and honour as ”advanced glad tidings [from Allah] for the believer”.
How to Improve Niyyah
- Focus on the purpose of the action. Make it a habit to ask yourself why you are doing an action before starting it.
- Always ask “why”. Contrary to widespread belief, it is encouraged to ask questions about Islam with the condition of…having a sound niyyah.
- Don’t do things mindlessly
- Say “Bismillah” (In the Name of Allah) before doing everything
- Check yourself, meaning one should engage in self-reflection (muhaasiba محاسبة)
- Try to hide good deeds. One should hide their good deeds as they would hide their bad deeds.
- Recite Surah Ikhlaas (Chapter 112 of the Qur’an)
- Want for others what you want for yourself. This purifies oneself from ill-feelings towards another.
Additional Note:
In addition to the disclaimer, please note that I have not created this information. Rather, I have shared my notes on what was taught to me by my reputable teachers as I am a student of the deen (religion) Islam. All thanks to Allah, the Most High. Any mistake, misuse, or misinterpretation of the teachings would be entirely due to my lack of knowledge. If you have any questions or concerns about these notes, please feel free to leave a comment below or reach me privately through my blog here or @hadithexplained on Twitter.
