Intention(Niyyah)

When we speak of an intention, we mean by it the wish that a person has to engage in an action or what he intends to achieve by doing that action. Whenever scholars of Islam talk about intentions, they mean one of two things:

1. Distinguishing one act of worship from another. This includes a worshipper distinguishing the noon prayer from the afternoon prayer, his voluntary fasts from his Ramadân fasts, and his acts of worship from everyday activities that might resemble them – like distinguishing between his bath for ritual purification and a bath to cool off.

2. Determining the reason behind the act that is being performed. This is the issue of whether he is performing the act sincerely for Allah alone.

The first meaning is the one that concerns the jurists. The second meaning deals with the all-important issue of sincerity, and this is the primary meaning being referred to in the Qur’ân and Sunnah.

The Qur’ân speaks about this meaning in great detail. Allah says:

“Among you are those who desire the life of this world and among you are those who desire the Hereafter.” [Sûrah Âl `Imrân: 152]

He says: “Restrain thyself along with those who cry unto their Lord at morn and evening, seeking His Countenance; and let not your eyes overlook them, desiring the pomp of the life of the world.” [Sûrah al-Kah f : 28]

Likewise, in most cases when the Prophet (peace be upon him) and the earliest generation of Muslims talked about intentions, they were concerned about whether or not an act was being done sincerely for Allah alone.

Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) said: “Actions are but by intentions and every man will have only what he intended. So whoever emigrated for Allah and His Messenger, then his emigration was for Allah and His Messenger. And whoever emigrated to attain something of this world or to marry a woman, then his emigration was for whatever reason he emigrated.” [Sahîh al-Bukhârî and Sahîh Muslim]

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