INTENTION AND SINCERITY

In the name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful

An-Nawawi records in his book Riyad us-Saliheen:

Allah the Exalted said:

وَمَاأُمِرُواإِلَّالِيَعْبُدُوااللَّهَمُخْلِصِينَلَهُالدِّينَحُنَفَاءَوَيُقِيمُواالصَّلَاةَوَيُؤْتُواالزَّكَاةَوَذَٰلِكَدِينُالْقَيِّمَةِ

They were not commanded except to worship Allah, being sincere to Him in religion, inclining to truth, and to establish prayer and to give charity, for that is the correct religion.
(Surah Al-Bayyinah 98:5)

And Allah said:

لَنيَنَالَاللَّهَلُحُومُهَاوَلَادِمَاؤُهَاوَلَٰكِنيَنَالُهُالتَّقْوَىٰمِنكُمْ

Their meat will not reach Allah, nor will their blood, but rather what reaches Him is piety from you.

(Surah Al-Hajj 22:37)

And Allah said:

قُلْإِنتُخْفُوامَافِيصُدُورِكُمْأَوْتُبْدُوهُيَعْلَمْهُاللَّهُ

Say: Whether you conceal what is in your breasts or reveal it, Allah knows it.

(Surah Ali Imran 3:29)

Umar ibn Al-Khattab, RadhiAllahu Anhu, reported: The Messenger of Allah, SallAllahu Alayhi Wa Sallam, said:

إِنَّمَاالْأَعْمَالُبِالنِّيَّةِوَإِنَّمَالِامْرِئٍمَانَوَىفَمَنْكَانَتْهِجْرَتُهُإِلَىاللَّهِوَرَسُولِهِفَهِجْرَتُهُإِلَىاللَّهِوَرَسُولِهِوَمَنْكَانَتْهِجْرَتُهُلِدُنْيَايُصِيبُهَاأَوْامْرَأَةٍيَتَزَوَّجُهَافَهِجْرَتُهُإِلَىمَاهَاجَرَإِلَيْهِ

Verily, deeds are only with intentions. Verily, every person will have only what they intended. So whoever emigrated to Allah and His Messenger, then his emigration is for Allah and His Messenger. Whoever emigrated to get something in the world or to marry a woman, then his emigration is for whatever he emigrated for.

[Source: Sahih Bukhari 54, Grade: Muttafaqun Alayhi]

Aisha, RadhiAllahu Anha, reported: The Messenger of Allah, SallAllahu Alayhi Wa Sallam, said:

يَغْزُوجَيْشٌالْكَعْبَةَفَإِذَاكَانُوابِبَيْدَاءَمِنْالْأَرْضِيُخْسَفُبِأَوَّلِهِمْوَآخِرِهِمْ

An army will raid the Ka’bah but when they reach a desert land, all of them will be swallowed by the earth.

I asked, “O Messenger of Allah, how will all of them be swallowed by the earth while among them are their markets and people not belonging to them?” The Prophet, SallAllahu Alayhi Wa Sallam, said:

يُخْسَفُبِأَوَّلِهِمْوَآخِرِهِمْثُمَّيُبْعَثُونَعَلَىنِيَّاتِهِمْ

They will all be swallowed up but they will be resurrected for judgment according to their intentions.

[Source: Sahih Bukhari 2012, Grade: Muttafaqun Alayhi]

Ibn Abbas, RadhiAllahu Anhuma, reported: The Messenger of Allah, SallAllahu Alayhi Wa Sallam, said:

لَاهِجْرَةَوَلَكِنْجِهَادٌوَنِيَّةٌوَإِذَااسْتُنْفِرْتُمْفَانْفِرُوا

There is no longer emigration, but rather only struggling in the cause of Allah and good intentions. So when you are called to duty, then go forth.

[Source: Sahih Bukhari 1737, Grade: Muttafaqun Alayhi]

Abu Huraira, RadhiAllahu Anhu, reported: The Messenger of Allah, SallAllahu Alayhi Wa Sallam, said:

إِنَّاللَّهَلَايَنْظُرُإِلَىصُوَرِكُمْوَأَمْوَالِكُمْوَلَكِنْيَنْظُرُإِلَىقُلُوبِكُمْوَأَعْمَالِكُمْ

Verily, Allah does not look at your appearance or wealth, but rather He looks at your hearts and actions.

[Source: Sahih Muslim 2564, Grade: Sahih]

Abu Musa, RadhiAllahu Anhu, reported: A man asked the Prophet, SallAllahu Alayhi Wa Sallam, and he said, “A man may fight to be courageous, and another may fight for zeal, and another may fight to show off. So which of those is fighting in the cause of Allah?” The Prophet, SallAllahu Alayhi Wa Sallam, said:

مَنْقَاتَلَلِتَكُونَكَلِمَةُاللَّهِهِيَالْعُلْيَافَهُوَفِيسَبِيلِاللَّهِ

He who fights so that the word of Allah is made high is fighting in the cause of Allah the Exalted.

[Source: Sahih Bukhari 123, Grade: Muttafaqun Alayhi]

Abu Bakrah, RadhiAllahu Anhu, reported: The Prophet, SallAllahu Alayhi Wa Sallam, said:

إِذَاتَوَاجَهَالْمُسْلِمَانِبِسَيْفَيْهِمَافَالْقَاتِلُوَالْمَقْتُولُفِيالنَّارِ

If two Muslims confront each other with swords, then both the killer and the killed will be in Hellfire.

It was said, “O Messenger of Allah, we understand for killer, but why for the one killed?” The Prophet, SallAllahu Alayhi Wa Sallam, said:

إِنَّهُقَدْأَرَادَقَتْلَصَاحِبِهِ

Verily, he intended to kill his companion.

[Source: Sahih Bukhari 6672, Grade: Muttafaqun Alayhi]

Abu Huraira, RadhiAllahu Anhu, reported: The Messenger of Allah, SallAllahu Alayhi Wa Sallam, said:

صَلَاةُالرَّجُلِفِيالْجَمَاعَةِتُضَعَّفُعَلَىصَلَاتِهِفِيبَيْتِهِوَفِيسُوقِهِخَمْسًاوَعِشْرِينَضِعْفًاوَذَلِكَأَنَّهُإِذَاتَوَضَّأَفَأَحْسَنَالْوُضُوءَثُمَّخَرَجَإِلَىالْمَسْجِدِلَايُخْرِجُهُإِلَّاالصَّلَاةُلَمْيَخْطُخَطْوَةًإِلَّارُفِعَتْلَهُبِهَادَرَجَةٌوَحُطَّعَنْهُبِهَاخَطِيئَةٌفَإِذَاصَلَّىلَمْتَزَلْالْمَلَائِكَةُتُصَلِّيعَلَيْهِمَادَامَفِيمُصَلَّاهُاللَّهُمَّصَلِّعَلَيْهِاللَّهُمَّارْحَمْهُوَلَايَزَالُأَحَدُكُمْفِيصَلَاةٍمَاانْتَظَرَالصَّلَاةَ

The prayer of a man in congregation is twenty-five times greater than prayer in his home or shop, for when he performs ablution in a good manner and leaves to the mosque only to perform prayer, then his every step will raise him a degree and expiate a sin until he enters the mosque. When he is performing prayer, the angels send blessings upon him for as long as he remains in his place of prayer. They say: O Allah, bless him and have mercy upon him. One of you continues to be in prayer as long as he is waiting for prayer.

[Source: Sahih Bukhari 620, Grade: Sahih]

Ibn Abbas, RadhiAllahu Anhuma, reported: The Messenger of Allah, SallAllahu Alayhi Wa Sallam, said:

إِنَّاللَّهَكَتَبَالْحَسَنَاتِوَالسَّيِّئَاتِثُمَّبَيَّنَذَلِكَفَمَنْهَمَّبِحَسَنَةٍفَلَمْيَعْمَلْهَاكَتَبَهَااللَّهُعِنْدَهُحَسَنَةًكَامِلَةًوَإِنْهَمَّبِهَافَعَمِلَهَاكَتَبَهَااللَّهُعَزَّوَجَلَّعِنْدَهُعَشْرَحَسَنَاتٍإِلَىسَبْعِمِائَةِضِعْفٍإِلَىأَضْعَافٍكَثِيرَةٍوَإِنْهَمَّبِسَيِّئَةٍفَلَمْيَعْمَلْهَاكَتَبَهَااللَّهُعِنْدَهُحَسَنَةًكَامِلَةًوَإِنْهَمَّبِهَافَعَمِلَهَاكَتَبَهَااللَّهُسَيِّئَةًوَاحِدَةً

Verily, Allah has recorded good and bad deeds and He made them clear. Whoever intends to perform a good deed but does not do it, then Allah will record it as a complete good deed. If he intends to do it and does so, then Allah the Exalted will record it as ten good deeds up to seven hundred times as much or even more. If he intends to do a bad deed and does not do it, then Allah will record for him one complete good deed. If he does it then Allah will record for him a single bad deed.

[Source: Sahih Bukhari 6126, Grade: Muttafaqun Alayhi]

Success comes from Allah, and Allah knows best