The Importance of Intention (niyyah)

As with all things we must first begin by purifying our intentions. Firstly I ask Allah to purify my own intentions and make me do this purely for his pleasure and by asking those who read this to purify their own intentions so that we may all be rewarded by Allah



Many of the scholars have begun in a similar way to this, by first quoting the hadith that has only been narrated by Amirul Mu'mineen Umar bin Al Khattab
so that we may all remind ourselves that our actions are of no benefit except that they be solely for the pleasure of Allah
. Imaam Bukhari has narrated this Hadith in his Sahih collection, and many scholars have put this in collections of hadith and other Islamic works as the first hadith in their books, hence I see it of benefit to mention this hadith as it is one of the most important hadith in Islam.

Firstly I will mention a few points made by the Scholars with regard to this Hadith:

• Imaam Shafiee has been quoted to have said that this hadith compromises one third of the knowledge of Islam
• Imaam Ahmad Ibn Hanbal has also been quoted to have said something similar

Allah Almighty says, "They were only ordered to worship Allah, making their deen sincerely His as people of pure natural belief, and to establish the prayer and pay zakat ­ that is the correct deen," (98:5) and the Almighty says, "Their flesh and blood does not reach Allah but your fear of Him does reach Him." (W22:35; H322:37) and the Almighty says, "Say, 'Whether you conceal what is in your breasts or make it known, Allah knows it.'" (3:29)


The Hadith as it is found in the Summarised Version of Sahih Al Bukhari (Taken from the dars of Shaykh Riyad ul Haq) :

Abu Abdillah Muhammad ibn Ismaeal bin Ibrahim bin Mughira bin Bardisba Al Bukhari Al Juhthi (rahimullah) who says hadathana Humaydi Abu Abdillah az-Zubair Qala Hadathana Sufyan, Abu Abdillah az-Zubair al Humadi related to us from Sufyan who said Yahya bin Sa’eed al Ansari related to us that Muhammad bin Ibrahim at Tamie related to us that Alqama bin Waqqas al Laythi related to us, he says I heard Ameerul Muh’mineen Umar ibnul Khattab
upon the mimbar say “I heard the Messenger
say "inaamal a’maalu bin niyaat wa inaamah li quli ma nawah fa man qanat hijrahtuhu ilah dunya yu seebuha aw imra’ahtun yun kifuha fa hijratuhu elah ma haajara iley”

The Prophet
said "Deeds are by intentions, (therefore) and a man will only receive what he has intended, so whoever’s hijrah is to the dunya that he wishes to acquire or a woman that he seeks to marry then his hijrah is to that which he has intended."