Allah Almighty says: {And they were not commanded except to worship Allah, [being] sincere to Him in religion, inclining to truth, and to establish prayer and to give Zakah. And that is the correct religion.} [Surat al-Bayyinah: 5] And He says: {It is neither their flesh nor their blood that reaches Allah, but it is your piety that reaches Him} [Surat al-Hajj: 37] And He says: {Say, “Whether you conceal what is in your hearts or reveal it, Allah knows it} [Surat Āl ‘Imrān: 29]
1) Intention means the purpose and objective. It emanates from the heart. Its place is not the tongue (i.e. should not be verbalized) in all acts of worship; because the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him), who is our example and role model, used to make ablution, pray, fast, give charity, and perform Hajj without pronouncing the intention.
3) An individual should be heedful of his intention in all acts of worship. So, he should hold the intention to perform worship, the intention to perform it solely for the sake of Allah, and the intention that he is performing it in compliance with the command from Allah. This is the most perfect state. For example, he intends to make ablution, that his ablution is for Allah, and that he makes ablution in obedience to the command of Allah.
1/1- The Commander of the Believers Abu Hafs, ‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb ibn Nufayl ibn ‘Abdil-‘Uzza ibn Riyāh ibn ‘Abdillah ibn Qurt ibn Rizāh ibn ‘Adi ibn Ka‘b ibn Lu’ai ibn Ghālib al-Qurashi al-‘Adawi (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “I heard the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) saying: “Verily, the reward of deeds depends on the intentions, and each person will be rewarded according to what he intended. So, he whose Hijrah is for the sake of Allah and His Messenger, then his Hijrah is for the sake of Allah and His Messenger, and he whose migration is to achieve some worldly gain or to take some woman in marriage, then his migration is for that which he migrated for.” [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim] It was narrated by the two most prominent Muhaddiths: Abu Abdullah Muhammad ibn Ismā‘īl ibn Ibrāhīm ibn al-Mughīrah ibn Bardizbah al-Ju‘fi al-Bukhāri, And Abu Al-Husayn Muslim Ibn al-Hajjāj ibn Muslim al-Qushayri al-Nīsāburi (may Allah be pleased with them) in their two books, which are the most authentic Hadīth compilations.
Hijrah: moving from non-Muslim states to Muslim states.
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1) This Hadīth is like a scale with which people weigh their inner deeds: Are they sincere to Allah or not regarding them?
2) People differ with regards to their acts of worship according to their intentions. The intentions of some people have reached the ultimate level of sincerity (to Allah) and keenness in following the Sunnah (of the Messenger of Allah) with regard to doing good and righteous deeds, while the intentions of others are below that.
3) Moving from non-Muslim land to Muslim land is obligatory on those capable of doing that, as was the case with the early believers; the honorable Companions of the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) who migrated from Makkah to Madinah before Makkah became a land of Islam and belief.
Hijrah includes forsaking a deed, a doer, and a place.
First: Hijrah of a deed; meaning that a slave of Allah refrains from all the sins prohibited by Allah and His Messenger, as in the following Hadīth: “The Muhājir (i.e. the doer of Hijrah) is the one who forsakes what Allah has forbidden.” [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri]
Second: Hijrah of the doer, like forsaking a man who sins openly and announces his sins. If deserting such a person would bring about benefit, such as prompting him to stop committing what Allah prohibited, then he is to be deserted.
Third: Hijrah of the place, by moving from a place infested with sins to another place that is free of such sins or where they are comparatively less, because the individual is affected by his environment either positively or negatively.
What is the ruling on a Muslim traveling to disbelievers’ countries?
It is not permissible for a Muslim to travel to disbelievers’ states, and it is prohibited unless certain conditions are met; these conditions are:
1) That the Muslim is equipped with sound knowledge to refute suspicions raised by others, for the disbelievers might put forward to him difficult issues and questions related to Islam, the Qur’an, the Prophet and so on, which he might not be able to answer.
2) That he has a strong base of religiosity and piety to protect himself against the widespread prohibited lusts, such as drinking alcohol, committing adultery, and staying up late at night to party and the like.
3) That he needs to make that trip. As for traveling for tourism, it is impermissible. An example of a need is to travel to seek medical treatment, to seek knowledge that is not available in Muslim countries, or to conduct trade that would benefit him and Muslims in general.
One kind of permissible or obligatory traveling is when a preacher or a scholar travels to invite people to the religion of Allah Almighty.
2/2 - The Mother of the Believers, ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) reported that the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “An army will invade the Ka‘bah, and when it reaches a desert, all of them will be swallowed up by the earth.” I said: “O Messenger of Allah, how will they sink into the ground while amongst them will be their markets and the people not belonging to them?” He replied: “All of them will be swallowed up by the earth then they will be resurrected and judged according to their intentions.” [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim. This is the wording narrated by Al-Bukhāri]
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Swallowed by the earth: when they disappear underneath it.
Markets: refers to the people who came to buy and sell.
1) Anyone partaking a role with transgressors and wrongdoers will share their punishment because it is inclusive.
2) This Hadīth agrees with and clarifies the Hadīth that says: “Deeds are judged based on the intentions behind them;” so each person will be recompensed in accordance with his intention.
3) When punishment occurs, it strikes both the righteous and the corrupt. However, on the Day of Judgment, they will be resurrected and judged according to their respective intentions. Therefore, the believers should exchange sincere advice to follow the truth lest punishments descend upon them. Acts of obedience alleviate afflictions and punishments whereas sinning breeds misfortune and adversity.
3/3 - ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) reported that the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “There is no Hijrah after the Conquest (of Makkah), but there is Jihad and good intention, and whenever you are called for Jihad, you should respond to the call.” [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim]
It means that there is no Hijrah from Makkah because it has become an abode of Islam.
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1) This Hadīth bears glad tidings for the believers that Makkah will never revert to disbelief but will rather remain an abode of Islam until the Day of Judgment.
2) The Muslim defends the religion of Allah and strives against the enemies of Allah so that the Word of Allah reigns supreme. He defends his homeland because it is an Islamic state, thus defending it protects Islam as well as what Muslims hold sacred.
The intended meaning of the statement of the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him): “There is no Hijrah after the conquest,” is relevant to those who had not made Hijrah to him (in Madinah) before the conquest. As for Hijrah from non-Muslim countries, it is valid until the Day of Judgment, because a Muslim is expected to make Hijrah to a country where he can uphold the rites of Allah and preserve his religion. Allah Almighty said: {When the angels take the souls of those who have wronged themselves, they will say, “What was the matter with you?” They will say, “We were oppressed in the land.” They will say, “Was not Allah’s earth spacious enough for you to migrate?” They are those whose refuge will be Hell – what a terrible destination!} [Surat an-Nisā’: 97]
When does Jihad become an individual obligation?
In the following cases:
1) If the ruler mobilizes people to participate in Jihad for the sake of Allah.
2) If the enemy lays siege to a town, Jihad becomes an individual obligation and every capable inhabitant of that town if obliged to fight because it is a fight to defend inviolable honors.
3) If the two armies, the Muslim and the non-Muslim, come face to face, it is impermissible for anyone to flee: {O you who believe, when you confront the disbelievers in battle, do not turn your backs to them.} [Surat al-Anfāl: 15] The Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) warned that: “Fleeing from the battlefield is one of the seven destructive sins.” [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim]
4) If a person is vitally needed for Jihad such that only he can deliver a given task, like having knowledge about a specific weapon, then he must join Jihad.
4/4 Abu ‘Abdullah Jābir ibn ‘Abdullah al-Ansārī (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) said: We were with the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) in a battle. He said: “In Madīnah, there are men who are with you whenever you cover a distance or cross a valley but they have been detained by illness.” In another version of the Hadīth, he said: “who share the reward with you” [Narrated by Muslim]
Al-Bukhāri narrated it from Anas (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: We returned from the battle of Tabūk with the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) and he said: “Some people have remained behind us in Madīnah but they were with us whenever we crossed a mountain path or a valley; they were held back by an excuse.”
1) Anyone who participates in Jihad for the sake of Allah shall receive a reward for the distance he traveled. This is a favor from Allah that the means are rewarded just as much as the deed itself because the means share the same rulings as their objectives.
2) If someone intends to do a good deed but was prevented by a valid excuse, he shall gain the reward of his intention.
5/5- Abu Yazīd Ma‘n ibn Yazīd ibn al-Akhnas (may Allah be pleased with them; as he, his father, and his grandfather were Companions) reported: “My father Yazīd had taken some gold coins for charity and kept them with a man in the masjid (to give them to the poor) but I went and took them and went to him, so he (my father) said: ‘By Allah! I did not intend to give them to you.’ I took my case to Allah’s Messenger (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) who said: ‘For you, Yazīd, is (the reward for) what you intended, and for you, Ma'n, is what you took.’” [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri]
1) Actions are recompensed according to the intentions behind them, and the individual shall receive the reward of what he intended even if the outcome was contrary to his intention.
2) It is permissible to give out charity in public if there is a benefit in making the charity public.
3) It is permissible for the father to give his child from the Zakah due on him if the child is eligible to receive Zakah, provided that the father does not intend thereby to waive the obligation upon him to provide for his child.
6/6- Abu Is'hāq Sa‘d ibn abi Waqqās Mālik ibn Uhayb ibn ‘Abd Manāf ibn Zuhrah ibn Kilāb ibn Murrah ibn Ka‘b ibn Lu’ay ibn Ghālib al-Qurashy az-Zuhry, who is one of the ten Companions promised Paradise (may Allah be pleased with them), reported: Sa‘d ibn Abi Waqqaas, may Allah be pleased with him, reported: "The Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) came to visit me for an illness which became so hard to bear in the year of the Farewell Hajj. I said: 'O Messenger of Allah, you can see the severity of the illness which I am experiencing. I have property and none will inherit me except a daughter. Shall I give two thirds of my property in charity?' The Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: 'No.' I said: 'Then shall I give one half, O Messenger of Allah?' He said: 'No.' Then I said: 'So, (shall I give) one third?' The Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: '(Give) one third, and one third is too much. Indeed, leaving your heirs rich is better than leaving them poor and begging from people. You never spend anything seeking thereby the pleasure of Allah but that you are rewarded for it, even what you place in the mouth of your wife.' I said: 'O Messenger of Allah, will I be left here in Makkah after my companions have departed for Madinah?' The Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: 'If you are left behind and do good deeds whereby you seek Allah's pleasure, you will be raised a degree and your status will be elevated on account of them. Perhaps you will be left behind so that some people may benefit by you and others may be harmed by you. O Allah! complete for my Companions their Hijrah (immigration to Madinah), and do not turn them back on their heels. The unfortunate one, however, is Sa‘d ibn Khawlah.' The Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) felt sorry for him, as he had died at Makkah).” [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim]
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Left behind means to age.
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1) It shows the Prophet’s good manners towards his Companions manifested in his visitations, inquiries about their affairs, and supplication for them.
2) It is permissible, even recommended, to visit the sick because of the blessings gained by both the visitor and the sick person.
3) It is permissible for the individual to consult scholars, because Sa‘d ibn abi Waqqās (may Allah be pleased with him) sought the advice of the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) when he wanted to spend a portion of his money. This is one of the means to establish a tight connection between laymen and scholars.
4) There is not a single good deed intended sincerely to please Allah except that its doer will be raised in rank and status thereby, even if it is providing for his family, wife, and himself. Therefore, the individual must have in mind the intention to draw closer to Allah in everything he spends so that he would reap the full reward.
7/7- Abu Hurayrah ‘Abdur-Rahmān ibn Sakhr (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Allah does not look at your bodies or at your forms but He looks at your hearts.” [Narrated by Muslim]
1) Love and contentment is measured by good deeds and intentions because they are the criteria for Allah’s acceptance of the servant; perhaps a small deed reaps great reward because of the intention behind it and perhaps a big deed reaps little reward because of the intention behind it.
2) One of the proofs Allah supports the servant is the latter’s sincere endeavor to rectify his intention and purify his heart by good deeds.
8/8- Abu Mūsa ‘Abdullah ibn Qays al-Ash‘ari (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) was asked about a man who fights out of bravery, one who fights out of pride, and one who fights to show off. Which of them is in the cause of Allah? The Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Whoever fights so that the Word of Allah reigns supreme is fighting in the cause of Allah.” [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim]
Pride: fighting out of loyalty for his family or his country.
1) This shows how people share different intentions when they are on the battlefield. The one with the most righteous intention is he who fights to make the Word of Allah reign supreme.
2) The path of Allah is one whereas the paths of the devil are many; and a truly guided individual is he whom Allah Almighty guided to His path. Allah Almighty said: {This is My straight path; follow it and do not follow other ways, lest they lead you away from His way.} [Surat al-An‘ām: 153]
9/9- Abu Bakrah Nufay‘ ibn al-Hārith ath-Thaqafi (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: "If two Muslims fight each other with their swords, both the killer and the killed are doomed to Hell.” I exclaimed: “O Messenger of Allah! As for the killer, it is understood; but what about the one killed?” He replied: “He was keen on killing his companion.” [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim]
1) It highlights the major principle: “Deeds are judged according to the intentions.” Since the one killed wanted to kill his foe and used the means to do so but his foe overcome him, then he is just like the one who committed the killing.
2) It highlights the difference between fighting to ward off an attacking transgressor and fighting with the intention to kill a fellow Muslim.
3) It is a stern warning against killing, as it is one of the causes of admission to Hellfire.
4) It reflects the approach of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) in seeking knowledge. They used to ask the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) about what they found confusing and he would answer them. Notably, there is not a single ambiguous issue in the Qur’an or the Sunnah except that its clarification is already there or is presented in reply to a question.
10/10 - Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: "A man's prayer in congregation is twenty-something times more superior (in reward) to his prayer in his market (workplace). For when one perfects ablution then goes out to the mosque, seeking nothing but prayer and nothing motivating him except prayer, then for every step he takes he is raised one degree and one sin is erased for him until he enters the mosque. When he enters the mosque, he remains in prayer as long as prayer is what keeps him therein. The angels will keep invoking the blessings of Allah on you as long as you are in the place where you performed prayer, saying: 'O Allah, have mercy on him! O Allah, forgive him! O Allah, accept his repentance!' as long as you do not harm anyone therein and do not break your ablution.” [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim; this is the wording of Muslim]
"Motivating him" means making him get up and go out.
Twenty-something: something means a number from three to ten.
1) The merit of praying in congregation at the masjid.
2) It is recommended that a man makes ablution at home to join the congregational prayer, in order to increase the reward.
3) Intention is primarily considered in securing such a great reward while failing to evoke a sincere intention reduces the reward.
4) Waiting to do a good deed is in itself a good deed.
My dear Muslim brother, may Allah grant you success! Bear in mind that attending the congregational prayer is an individual obligation on every Muslim man who hears the Adhān (call to prayer) and does not have a valid excuse for not attending. The proofs of its obligation are many, such as the saying of Allah Almighty: {When you [O Prophet] are with them and lead them in prayer, let a group of them stand [in prayer] with you...} [Surat an-Nisā’: 102] Allah mandated the congregational prayer even when Muslims are at war and fear an enemy attack. So, it is obvious that it is obligatory at times of peace and safety with greater reason.
In addition, there is proof in the Sunnah that the congregational prayer is obligatory upon the blind man; so, how about the one who can see?
11/11- Abu al-‘Abbās ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbās ibn Abdul-Muttalib (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) reported that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said in what he narrates from his Lord, Glorified and Exalted: “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 Almighty will record it as ten good deeds up to seven hundred times as much or many 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 intends to do it and actually does it then Allah will record for him a single bad deed.” [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim]
1) Good intention leads its holder to good things.
2) Variation of reward for good deeds is based on sincerity and following of the Prophet’s guidance. The more a person is sincere to Allah, and the keener he is on following the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him), the more perfect his worship will be, and consequently his reward will be bigger.
3) Whoever abstains from sin for fear of Allah will be rewarded for that, as explained in the Hadīth: “ He only abstained from it for My sake.” [Narrated by Muslim from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him)]
4) One of the manifestations of Allah’s mercy is that He uses justice to recompense the sinner but uses His grace and bounty to recompense the good-doer.
12/12 - Abu ‘Abdur-Rahmān Abdullah ibn ‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) saying: “Three men from among those who were before you set out together until they reached a cave at night so they entered it. A big rock rolled down the mountain and blocked the entrance to the cave. They said to each other, ‘Nothing will save you from this rock but to call upon Allah by the most righteous of your deeds.’ So, one of them said, ‘O Allah! I had old parents and I never provided my family or workers with the evening milk before them. One day, by chance I came late (at night) when they had slept. I milked the sheep for them and took the milk to them but I found them sleeping. I disliked providing my family with the milk before them. I waited for them to wake up with the bowl of milk in my hand and my children crying (from hunger) at my feet until daybreak. Then my parents got up and drank the milk. O Allah! If I did that for Your sake only, then relieve us from the distress we are in because of this rock.’ So the rock shifted a little but not enough for them to get out. The second man said, ‘O Allah! I had a cousin who was the most beloved of all people to me (in another version: I had a cousin for whom I loved in the most passionate way a man can love a woman), and I wanted to have sexual relations with her but she refused. Later she was having a hard time in a famine year and she came to me and I gave her one-hundred-and-twenty Dinars on condition that she would not resist my sexual advances, and she agreed. When I sat between her legs, she said: “Fear Allah and do not break the seal except by its right (i.e. by legitimate marriage).” So, I turned away from her though she was the most beloved of all people to me, and I left her the gold I had given her. O Allah! If I did that for Your sake only, then relieve us from the distress we are in.’ So the rock shifted but not enough for them to get out. The third man said, ‘O Allah! I employed some labors and I paid them their wages except for one man who did not take his wages and went away. I invested his wages and much property resulted from that investment. Then after some time he came and said to me: “O servant of Allah! Pay me my wages.” I said to him: “All you can see is from your wages; the camels, cows, sheep, and slaves.” He said: “O servant of Allah, do not mock me.” I said: “I am not mocking you.” So he took them all and drove them away and left nothing thereof. O Allah! If I did that for Your sake only, then relieve us from the distress we are in.’ So the rock shifted completely and they got out walking.” [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim]
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Do not break the seal: a warning against committing adultrey.
1) Sincerity is one of the means to alleviate adversity because each one of them said: “O Allah! If I did that for Your sake only, then relieve us from the distress we are in.”
2) Good deeds are means to alleviating adversity.
3) The merit of dutifulness to parents, refraining from adultery, honesty, and doing what is good for others.
4) Allah indeed answers the supplication and never disappoints anyone sincerely supplicating Him. So, the believer should be keen on making sincere supplication to Allah.
5) One kind of the legitimate Tawassul (imploring Allah) is that a person implores Allah by the sincere good deeds that he did.
The great ascetic Imam Mutarrif ibn ‘Abdullah ash-Shikhkhīr (may Allah have mercy upon him) said:
“The righteousness of the heart results from the righteousness of deeds, and the righteousness of deeds results from the righteousness of intention.”
[Quoted by al-Hāfizh Ibn Rajab in his book Jāmi‘ al-‘Ulūm wal-Hikam]