On Actions Are According To Their Intention
Tafsir by Imam Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali
Jami’ al-‘Ulum wa’l-Hikam by Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali Commentary on the First Hadith of Imam Nawawi’s “Forty”
The Amir al-Mu’minin Abu Hafs ‘Umar ibn al-Khaftab said, “I heard the Messenger of Allah saying; ‘Actions are only by intentions, and each man has only that which he intends. Whoever’s emigration is for Allah and His Messenger, then his emigration is for Allah and His Messenger. Whoever’s emigration is for some worldly gain which he can acquire or a woman he will marry, then his emigration is for that for which he emigrates’.’’
Yahya ibn Said al-Ansari alone narrated this hadith from Muhammad ibn Ibrahim at-Taymi from ‘Alqamah ibn Abl Waqqas al-Laythi, from ‘Umar ibn al-Khatab. There are no other authentic paths of transmission for it apart from this one, as ‘Ali al-Madini and others said. Al-Khatabi said, “I know of no disagreement among the people of hadith about that,” even though it is narrated as a hadith of Abu Sa‘id and others, and it is said that it has been narrated by numerous paths, but none of that is authentic according to the people who memorise [hadith]. Later a great number of people narrated it from al-Ansari. It is said that more than two hundred narrators transmitted it from him, and it is even said that it was seven hundred. Among the great ones who narrated it were Imam Malik, ath-Thawri, al-Awza‘i, ibn al-Mubarak, al-Layth ibn Sa‘d, Hammad ibn Zayd, Shu‘bah, Ibn ‘Uyaynah and others.
The people of knowledge agreed that it is authentic and accepted it totally. Al-Bukhari began his Sahih with it and established it in the position of the introduction to it, by which he indicated that every action not intended for the sake of the face of Allah is invalid and fruitless in the world and in the next world. For that reason ‘Abd ar-Rahman ibn Mahdi said, “If I were to write a book in chapters, I would put the hadith of ‘Umar ibn al-Khatab on ‘actions are only by intentions’ in every chapter.” Some also say that he said, “Whoever wishes to compile a book, let him begin with the hadith, ‘Actions are only by intentions.’
This hadith is one of those around which the din revolves. It is narrated that ash-Shafi‘i said, ‘This hadith is one third of all knowledge, and it is involved in seventy sections of fiqh.” Imam Ahmad said, “The foundations of Islam are based on three hadith: the hadith of ‘Umar, ‘Actions are by intentions’, and the hadith of ‘A’ishah, ‘Whoever innovates in this affair of ours that which is not from it then it is rejected’, and the hadith of an-Nu‘man ibn Bashir, ‘The halal is clear and the Haram is clear’.” Al-Hakim said, “They narrated to us from ‘Abdullah ibn Ahmad [ibn Hanbai] from his father that he mentioned his words, ‘Actions are by intentions’ and his words, ‘The creation of any one of you is gathered in the belly of his mother for forty days’ and his words, ‘Whoever innovates in our din whatever is not of it then it is rejected,’ and then he said, ‘These hadith ought to begin every compilation, because they are the foundations of the hadith.’”
Ishaq ibn Rahwayh said, “Four hadith are among the foundations of the din the hadith of ‘Umar, ‘Actions are only by intentions’, and the hadith, ‘The Halal is clear and the Haram is clear’, and the hadith, ‘The creation of any one of you is gathered in the belly of his mother for forty days’ and the hadith, ‘Whoever makes anything in our affair which is not of it, then it is rejected’.”
‘Uthman ibn Sa‘id narrated from Abu ‘Ubayd that he said, “The Prophet gathered together all the business of the next world in one expression: ‘Whoever innovates in our affair that which is not from it, then it is rejected’, and he gathered the business of the world in one expression: ‘Actions are only by intentions’. These two enter into every chapter.”
Abu Dawud said, “I thought about the hadith which are narrated with chains of transmission and found them to be four thousand hadith. Then I thought further and found that the pivot of these four thousand lies in four hadith: the hadith of an-Nu‘man ibn Bashir, ‘The halal is clear and the haram is clear’, the hadith of ‘Umar, ‘Actions are only by intentions’, the hadith of Abu Hurayrah, ‘Allah is good and wholesome and only accepts what is good and wholesome, and Allah commands the mu’minun with that with which He commands the Messengers…’ and the hadith, ‘A part of the excellence of a man’s din is his leaving alone that which does not concern him.’” He said, “Each one of these four hadith is one quarter of knowledge.”
Abu Dawud also said, “I recorded five hundred thousand hadith of the Messenger of Allah from which I chose those which comprise this book,” – meaning Kitab as-Sunan- “in which I collected four thousand eight hundred hadith, of which four hadith are sufficient for a man’s din: the first of which are his words, ‘Actions are by intentions’, second, his words, ‘A part of the excellence of a man’s din is his leaving what does not concern him’, third, his words, ‘The mu’min will not be a mu’min until he is only contented for his brother with that with which he is contented for himself, and fourth, his words, ‘The halal is clear and the Haram is clear. ’ ”
In another narration he said, Fiqh revolves around five hadith: ‘The halal is clear and the Haram is clear’, and his words, ‘There is [to be] no causing harm nor returning harm’, and his words, ‘Actions are by intentions’ and his words, ‘The din is sincerity,’ and his words, ‘That which I have forbidden you, avoid it, and that which I have commanded you, do that of it which you are able’. ”
In another narration he said, ‘The principles of the sunnah’s in every field are four hadith: the hadith of ‘Umar, ‘Actions are by intentions’, and the hadith, ‘The halal is clear and the Haram is clear’, and the hadith, ‘A part of the excellence of a man’s din is his leaving alone that which does not concern him’, and the hadith, ‘Do without the world and Allah will love you, and do without what is in people’s hands and people will love you.”
Hafiz Abu’l-Hasan Tahir ibn Mufawwiz al-Mu‘afiri al-Andalusi wrote: The pillars of the din for us are four expressions from the Best of Creation:
Beware of ambiguities,
do without,
and leave what does not concern you
and act with intention.
His saying, “Actions are only by intentions” and in another narration, “Actions are by intentions”, both of which necessarily imply restriction [of the meaning to the sense of “only”] according to the authentic position, but it is not our aim here to address that nor to say a lot about it.
There are different understandings of his words, “Actions are by intentions’’ and many of the later [scholars] claim that it means “Actions are correct by, or judged according to, or are acceptable by intentions.” According to this what is meant by actions are the actions of the Shariah which require intentions. As for What does not need intention, ordinary everyday acts such as eating, drinking, dressing, etc., or for example, returning trusts and guarantees such as deposits and things which have been forcibly expropriated, then none of these things require intentions, so that all of these are excluded from the general actions mentioned here;
Others say that ‘actions’ here are general and that nothing is excluded from them, and someone said that this is the majority opinion, by which he seems to have meant the majority of the earlier generations. That is in the words of Ibn Jarir at-Tabari and Abu Talib al-Makki and others of the earlier generations, and it is what is apparent from the words of Imam Ahmad. He said in the narration of Hanbal, “I prefer that everyone who does an act such as prayer, fasting, sadaqah or any type of good action, that an intention should precede the doing of it. The Prophet said, ‘Action’s are by intentions’ arid this applies to every single affair.”
Al-Fadl ibn Ziyad said, “I asked Abu ‘Abdullah – meaning Ahmad [ibn Hanbai] – about intention in action, and I asked, ‘How is the intention?’ He said, ‘One struggles with oneself – if one means to do an action – not intending it for people.’ ’
Ahmad ibn Dawud al-Harbi said, “Yazid ibn Harun narrated ‘Umar’s hadith ‘Actions are by intentions’ while Ahmad was sitting, and Ahmad said to Yazid, ‘Abu Khalid, this is suffocation (khunaq).’”
According to this statement some said that what is to be understood from the words is, “Actions happen or actually take place according to their intentions,” so that he informs us that a voluntary action only comes about by an intention from the one who does it, which is the cause of the action and of its existence. Then his words after that, “and for each man there is only that which he intends,” informs us about the Shari’ah judgement which is that for the one who does the action the intention is his portion of the action. If it is good then his action is good and he will have its reward, but if it is corrupt then his action is corrupt, and the burden of it will be upon him. It is possible then that the meaning of his words, “actions are only by intentions” is that “actions are right, corrupt, acceptable or rejected, rewarded or unrewarded according to the intentions” and thus inform us of the judgement of the shari’ah that the action’s rightness or corruption is according to the rightness of the intention or its corruption, as in his words, “actions are according to results”, i.e. their rightness, their corruption, their acceptability or their lack of it are according to the results.
His words after that, “and for each man there is only that which he intends,” informs us that nothing comes about from someone’s action except that which he intends by it If he intends good, good will come about from it, and if he intends evil, evil will come about from it. This is not purely a repetition of the first phrase, because the first phrase points out that the rightness or the wrongness of an action is according to the intention which brought it into existence, whereas the second phrase points out that the reward of the one who does the action for the action is according to his right intention, and that his punishment for it is according to his wrong intention. It is also possible that his intention is [merely] permissible (mubah) so that the action would be permissible, and thus he would not obtain any reward or receive punishment for it Thus the action in itself- its rightness, wrongness or permissibility – is according to the intention which motivates it and brings it into existence, and the reward for the one who does the action, his punishment and his [merely] being safe, are according to his intention by which the action became right, wrong, or permitted.
You should know that linguistically intention means a type of purpose and will, even though there are distinctions made between these expressions, but this is not the place to mention that.
In the words of the people of knowledge, intention has two meanings:
First: to distinguish some acts of worship from others, for example to distinguish the midday prayer from the afternoon prayer, and to distinguish the fast of Ramadan from other fasts, or to distinguish acts of worship from ordinary everyday acts, such as distinguishing the ghusl performed after sexual intercourse from bathing in order to cool oneself or for the purpose of cleanliness, etc. This meaning of intention is found a great deal in the language of the fuqaha in their books.
Second: to distinguish the purpose of the action, whether it is for Allah alone without partner, or for Allah as well as for other than Him. This is the intention about which the gnostics speak in their books when they talk about sincerity and its consequences, and it is the one which is to be found a great deal in the words of the right-acting first generations.
Abu Bakr ibn Abi’d-Dunya compiled a work which he called, Kitab al- ikhlas wa’n-niyyah “The Book of Sincerity and Intention” by which he meant only this [second meaning of] intention, which is also the intention which is repeatedly mentioned in the words of the Prophet sometimes with the expression ‘niyyah’ (intention), sometimes with the expression ‘ iradah ’ (will), and sometimes with an expression close to that. It has been mentioned many times in the Book of Allah also without use of the term ‘intention’ but with expressions close in meaning to that Those who distinguish between ‘intention’, ‘will’, ‘purpose’ and similar words do so because of their view that ‘intention’ only has the first meaning which the fuqaha’ mention. Some of them say, “The intention is specific to the act of the one who intends, and will or ‘wanting’ is not specific to that, just as a person might want Allah to forgive him but not intend it.” But we have mentioned that intention in the language of the Prophet and the early generations of the ummah was in the main only used for this second meaning, and it was at that time used to mean ‘will’ or ‘want’. For that reason it is very often expressed by the term ‘will’ in the Qur’an, as in His words, exalted is He:
“Among you are those who want the dunya and among you are those who want the akhirah.”
And His words:
“You desire the goods of the dunya, whereas Allah desires the akhirah.”
“If anyone desires to cultivate the akhirah, We will increase him in his cultivation. If anyone desires to cultivate the dunya, We will give him some of it but he will have no share in the akhirah.”
And His words, exalted is He:
“As for anyone who desires this fleeting existence, We hasten in it whatever We will to whoever We want. Then We will consign him to Hell where he will roast, reviled and driven out. But as for anyone who desires the akhirah, and strives for it with the striving it deserves, being a mu ‘min, the striving of such people will be gratefully acknowledged.”
And His words, exalted is He:
“As for those who desire the life of the dunya and its finery, We will give them full payment in it for their actions. They will not be deprived here of their due. But such people will have nothing in the akhirah but the Fire. What they achieved here will come to nothing. What they did will prove to be null and void.”
And His words:
“Do not chase away those who call on their Lord morning and evening, seeking His Face.”
“Restrain yourself patiently with those who call on their Lord morning and evening, desiring His face. Do not turn your eyes from them, desiring the attractions of this world.”
And His words:
That is best for those who seek the pleasure of Allah. They are the ones who are successful.”
And His words
“What you give with usurious intent, aiming to get back a greater amount from people’s wealth, does not become greater with Allah. But anything you give as zakah, seeking the Face of Allah – all who do that will get back twice as much.”
Also it is expressed in the Qur’an with the expression istigha’- “desiring”
– as in His words, exalted is He:
“…desiring only the Face of their Lord Most High.”
And His words:
“The metaphor of those who spend their wealth, desiring the pleasure of Allah and firmness for themselves”…
And His words:
If anyone desires to cultivate the akhira, We will increase him in his cultivation. If anyone desires to cultivate the dunya, We will give him some of it but he will have no share in the akhirah.”
And His words, exalted is He:
“As for anyone who desires this fleeting existence, We hasten in it whatever We will to whoever We want Then We will consign him to Hell where he will roast, reviled and driven out But as for anyone who desires the akhirah, and strives for it with the striving it deserves, being a mu’min, the striving of such people will be gratefully acknowledged.”
And His words, exalted is He:
“As for those who desire the life of the dunya and its finery, We will give them full payment in it for their actions. They will not be deprived here of their due. But such people will have nothing in the akhirah but the Fire. What they achieved here will come to nothing. What they did will prove to be null and void. ”
And His words:
“Do not chase away those who call on their Lord morning and evening, seeking His Face.”
And His words:
“Restrain yourself patiently with those who call on their Lord morning and evening, desiring His face. Do not turn your eyes from them, desiring the attractions of this world.”
And His words:
“That is best for those who seek the pleasure of Allah. They are the ones who are successful.”
And His words:
“What you give with usurious intent, aiming to get back a greater amount from people’s wealth, does not become greater with Allah. But anything you give as zakah, seeking the Face of Allah – all who do that will get back twice as much.”
Also it is expressed in the Qur’an with the expression istigha’- “desiring”
– as in His words, exalted is He:
“…desiring only the Face of their Lord Most High.”
And His words:
“The metaphor of those who spend their wealth, desiring the pleasure of
Allah and firmness for themselves…”
And His words:
“…when you give desiring only the Face of Allah.”
And His words:
“There is no good in much of their secret talk, except in the case of those who enjoin sadaqah, or what is right, or putting things right between people. If anyone does that, seeking the pleasure of Allah, We will give him an immense reward.”’
He denies that there is any good in much of what people discuss together except for when they command the well-recognised good actions, of which He singles out sadaqah and putting things right between people because of the universal benefit in them. It indicates that confidential discussions for that purpose are good. As for the reward for it from Allah, He singles it out for whoever does it desiring the good pleasure of Allah. He only regards commanding the well-recognised virtues such as sadaqah and putting things right between people, etc., good even if one does not desire the face of Allah by it because of the unlimited benefit which is a consequence of it, so that people attain good and excellence because of it. As for commanding [the well-recognised good actions], then if someone intends the face of Allah by it and desires His good pleasure, it is good for him and he will be rewarded for it. However, if someone does not intend that there is no good in it for him and no reward for doing it. This is contrary to the case of someone who prays or fasts and does dhikr of Allah intending by that some worldly advantage, because for him there will be altogether no good in it, because the benefit in it does not reach beyond him to any other, O Allah, except someone else who models himself on him in that [and sincerely worships and remembers Allah in imitation of the man who is in fact only showing off].
As for that which is related in the Sunnah and the words of the first right acting generations naming this meaning “intention”, there is a great deal of it. We will mention some of it, such as that Ahmad and an-Nasa’i related from the hadith of ‘Ubadah ibn as-Samit that the Prophet said, “Whoever goes on an expedition in the way of Allah only intending [to acquire] a cord to be used for hobbling a camel, will have what he intends.”
Imam Ahmad related from the hadith of Ibn Mas’ud that the Prophet said, “Truly, most of the shuhada’ [people who die in the Way of Allah] of my ummah will be people of the beds, and how often someone who is killed between two rows [of warriors] Allah knows best his intention.”
Ibn Majah narrated the hadith of Jabir ibn ‘Abdullah that the Prophet said, “People will be assembled according to their intentions.” In the hadith of Abu Hurayrah from the Prophet he said, “People will only be made to rise [on the Day of Rising] according to their intentions.”
Ibn Abi’d-Dunya narrated from the hadith of ‘Umar that the Prophet said, “People who fought each other will only be made to rise according to their intentions.”’
In Muslim there is from Umm Salamah from the Prophet, “Someone who takes refuge will seek refuge at the House, and an expeditionary force will be sent against him. Then when they are in a desert part of the land, the earth will cave in with them.” I [Umm Salamah] asked, “Messenger of Allah, what about someone who had been coerced [into joining the army] ?” He said, “It will cave in with him along with them, but he will be made to rise on the Day of Rising according to his intention.” There is a hadith with a similar meaning from ‘A’ishah from the Prophet in which he said, “They will all be destroyed at once, and they will issue forth from different points of origin, and Allah will make them rise according to their intentions.”
Imam Ahmad and Ibn Majah related the hadith of Zayd ibn Thabit that the Prophet said, “Whoever’s concern is the world, then Allah will disperse his unity,” and in another wording, “[disperse] his affair, and He will put his need in front of his eyes and only that of the world will come to him which is written for him. Whoever’s intention is the next world, Allah will unite his affair and place his wealth in his heart and the world will come to him in spite of itself.” This is the wording of Ibn Majah. The wording of Ahmad is, “Whoever’s concern is the next world. … and whoever’s intention is the world.” Ibn Abi’d-Dunya related it and he had, “Whoever’s intention is the next world … and whoever’s intention is the world.”
In the two books there is from Sa‘d ibn Abi Waqqas from the Prophet “Truly, you never spend anything desiring by it the face of Allah, but that you will be rewarded for it, even the morsel of food which you place in your wife’s mouth.”’ Ibn Abi’d-Dunya narrated from ‘Umar, but with an interrupted (munqati) chain of transmission, that he said, “There is no action for someone who has no intention, and there is no reward for someone who has no expectation,” meaning that there is no reward for someone who does not anticipate a reward for his action from Allah With a weak chain of transmission from Ibn Mas ud there is that he said, “Words do not benefit unless there is action, and words and actions do not benefit unless there are intentions, and words, actions and intentions are no use unless they accord with the Sunnah.”
Yahya ibn Abi Kathir said, “Know intention, because it is more far-reaching than action.” Zubayd al-Yami said, “I prefer to have an intention in every thing, even eating and drinking.” He also said, “Make an intention for every thing by which you mean good, even going to the rubbish dump.”
Dawud at-Ta’i said, “I think that all good is only united in good intention, and it is sufficient good for you even if you do not become worn out.” Dawud said, “Solicitous concern for the well-being of others (birr) is the aspiration of someone who fears [Allah], and even if all of his limbs are connected to love of the world, one day his intention will return him to his origin.”
Sufyan ath-Thawri said, “I have not concerned myself with anything more difficult for me than my intention, because it fluctuates.”
Yusuf ibn Asbat said, “Purifying the intention of its corruption is more difficult for people of action than long exertion.” Someone asked Nafi‘ ibn Jubayr, “Will you not come to the funeral prayer?” He said, “As you are! Not until I form my intention.” They say that he thought for a little and then said, “Proceed.”
Mutarrif ibn ‘Abdullah said, “Rightness of the heart comes from right action. Right action comes from right intention.”
Someone of the early right-acting generations said, “Whoever is pleased to perfect and complete his action then let him make his intention good, because Allah rewards the slave when his intention is good even if it is only [in the giving of] a morsel of food.”
Ibn al-Mubarak said, “Many a small action is exalted by intention, and many a great action is lessened by intention.”
Ibn ‘Ajlan said, “Action is not right without three [things]: fearful awareness (taqwa) for the sake of Allah, good intention, and hitting the mark.”
Al-Fudayl ibn ‘Iyad said, “Allah Jl only wants from you your intention and your will.”
Yusuf ibn Asbat said, “Preferring Allah is better than being killed in His ways”
Ibn Abi’d-Dunya narrated all of that in Kitab al-Ikhlas wa ’n-niyyah ‘The Book of Sincerity and Intention”. He also narrated in it with an interrupted chain of transmission from ‘Umar that he said, The best of actions is to perform what Allah has made obligatory, and to be cautious of what Allah & has forbidden, and [to have] a true intention for that which is with Allah.”
From this we know the meaning of what is narrated from Imam Ahmad that the foundations of Islam are three hadith: the hadith, “Actions are only by intentions”, the hadith, “Whoever innovates in our affair that which is not from it, then it is rejected,” and the hadith, “The halal is clear and the haram is clear”, because all of the din can be reduced to doing those things which are commanded, giving up those things which are forbidden and desisting from doubtful things, all of which the hadith of an-Nu‘man ibn Bashir contains.
That is only made complete by two matters:
First, that the action in its outward form should accord with the Sunnah, which the hadith of ‘A’ishah implies, “Whoever innovates in our affair that which is not from it, then it is rejected,”
Second, that by the action one inwardly intends the face of Allah as is implied by the hadith of ‘Umar, “Actions are only by intentions.”
About His words, exalted is He:
“…to test which of you is best in action,” al-Fudayl said, “Most sincere and most correct” He said, “If an action is sincerely intended but it is not correct it is not accepted, and if it is correct but it is not sincere it is not accepted until it is sincere and correct” He said, “Sincerity is when it is for the sake of Allah. Correctness is when it is according to the Sunnah.” Something that proves this thing that al-Fudayl said is His words:
“So let him who hopes to meet his Lord act rightly and not associate anyone in the worship of his Lord.”
One of the gnostics said, They are distinguished in terms of merit by their intentions, not by fasting and prayer.”
His words, “So whoever’s emigration is for Allah and His Messenger, then his emigration is for Allah and His Messenger. Whoever’s emigration is for something of the world which he obtains or a woman whom he marries, then his emigration is for that for which he emigrates.” When he mentioned that actions are in accordance with intentions, and that for the one who acts his portion of his action is his intention whether good or bad, and these two comprehensive expressions encompass every matter, then he mentioned an example of an action after that whose outward form is single, but whose rightness or corruption differ according to intention, and so it is as if he was saying that all other actions follow the example of this one.
The essence of emigration is abandoning the land of shirk [where others than Allah are associated as partners with Him] and moving to the abode of Islam, just as the Emigrants, before the Opening of Makkah [to Islam], would emigrate from it to the Madinah of the Prophet £ and already those of them who had done so had before that emigrated to the Negus in the land of the Ethiopians. Thus, the Prophet informed us that this emigration differs according to the different purposes and intentions behind it Whoever emigrates to die abode of Islam from love of Allah and His Messenger and out of desire to learn the din of Islam, and to be able to practice his din openly whereas he had been unable to do that in the abode of shirk, then this is the one who truly emigrates for the sake of Allah and His Messenger. It is sufficient for him as honour and as a boast that he attains what he intends of emigrating for the sake of Allah and His Messenger.
With this meaning in mind, he confined himself in the main clause of the conditional sentence to repeating the conditional clause word for word [“then his emigration is for Allah and His Messenger”], since the attainment of that which he intended by his emigration is the limit of what can be sought in this world and the next Whoever’s emigration is from the abode of shirk to the abode of Islam to attain some worldly thing or a woman whom he wishes to marry in the abode of Islam, then his emigration is for the purpose for which he emigrates: the former is a trader and the second courts a wife, and neither of them are emigrants.
In his words, “…to that which he emigrates,” there is contempt and scorn for that worldly matter which he seeks, since he did not mention it by name. Also, emigration for Allah and His Messenger is single without any multiplicity, and for that reason he repeated the main clause in the wording of the conditional clause. There are limitless types of emigration for worldly affairs: sometimes a person will emigrate in order to seek some permitted worldly thing, and sometimes for something forbidden. The individual worldly things which are intended by emigration are innumerable, and so for that reason he said, “Then his emigration is to that for which he emigrates,” meaning, “whatever it may be.”
It has been related from Ibn ‘Abbas in commentary of His words, exalted is He:
“When women who have Iman come to you as muhajirun, submit them to a test..?
He said, “When a woman used to come to the Prophet he would make her swear an oath by Allah that she had not emigrated because of dislike for her husband, and by Allah she had not emigrated preferring one land over another, and by Allah she had not emigrated seeking something of the world, and by Allah she had only emigrated from love of Allah and His Messenger.” Ibn Abi Hatim and Ibn Jarir narrated it, al-Bazzar in his Musnad, and at-Tirmidhi narrated it in some copies of his book in an abbreviated form.
Waki narrated in his book from al-A‘mash from Shaqiq – Abu Wa’il – that he said, “A nomadic Arab from the area proposed to a woman called Umm Qays but she refused to marry him unless he emigrated, so he emigrated and she married him, and we used to call him, ‘The Emigrant for the sake of Umm Qays.’” He said, “So ‘Abdullah – meaning Ibn Mas’ud – said, ‘Whoever emigrates desiring something, then it [his emigration] is for it [that for which he emigrates].”32 The context here implies that this did not happen in the time of the Prophet but in the time of Ibn Mas‘ud [after the death of the Prophet ], however it has been narrated by way of Sufyan ath-Thawrl from al-A‘mash from Abu Wa’il from Ibn Mas‘ud that he said, “Among us there was a man who proposed to a woman called Umm Qays, but she refused to marry him unless he emigrated, and so he emigrated, and we used to call him ‘The Emigrant for the Sake of Umm Qays.” Ibn Mas’ud said, “Whoever emigrates for something, then it [his emigration] is for it [that for which he emigrates].”
It has become well known that the story of the emigrant for the sake of Umm Qays was the reason for the words of the Prophet , “Whoever’s emigration is for the sake of some worldly thing which he attains or a woman whom he marries…” and many of the later scholars mention that in their books but we have not seen any sound source with an authentic chain of transmission for that, and Allah knows best.
All of the other actions are like emigration in this context, their soundness or corruption are according to the intention which causes them, such -as jihad and Hajj, etc. The Prophet was asked about the different intentions people have for jihad and what they intend by it, such as showing off, showing their courage, tribalism, etc., and which one of them is in the way of Allah? He said, “Whoever fights so that the Word of Allah be uppermost is in the way of Allah? Every worldly motive they had asked about was omitted.
In the two books it is narrated from Abu Musa al-Ash’ari that a nomadic Arab came to the Prophet and asked, “Messenger of Allah, one man fights for spoils, and one man fights for fame, and another man fights so that his position will be seen, so who is it that is in the way of Allah?” The Messenger of Allah said, “Whoever fights so that the Word of Allah is uppermost is in the way of Allah.” In a version of Muslim’s there is that, “He was asked about a man who fights from bravery, one who fights defensively and another who fights to show off, which of them is in the way of Allah?… ” In another version of his there is [mention of], “a man who fights out of anger or [another who] fights defensively.”
An-Nasa’i reported a hadith of Abu Um am ah that he said, “A man came to the Prophet and asked, ‘What do you think of a man who goes on a military expedition seeking reward and fame, what will he get?’ So the Messenger of Allah said, ‘Nothing!’ Then the Messenger of Allah said, ‘Truly, Allah only accepts that which is sincere and by which His face is desired.’”
Abu Dawud narrated a hadith of Abu Hurayrah, “That a man asked, ‘Messenger of Allah! A man wants jihad and he desires some of the world’s goods?’ The Messenger of Allah # said, ‘There is no reward for him.’ The man repeated it three times while the Prophet kept saying, ‘There is no reward for him.’”
Imam Ahmad and Abu Dawud related the hadith of Mu‘adh ibn Jabal that the Prophet said, “There are two types of military expeditions. As for someone who desires the face of Allah, obeys the imam [the amir], spends of his precious substance, is lenient to his companions and avoids making corruption, then [both] his sleep and his vigilance are rewarded. As for someone who goes on a military expedition boastfully, showing off, seeking reputation, disobeying the imam and creating corruption in the land, then he will not return with sufficiency.”
Abu Dawud related the hadith of ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr that he said, “I said, ‘Messenger of Allah, tell me about jihad and military expeditions.’ He said, ‘If you fight steadfastly and anticipating a reward, then Allah will raise you up as one who is steadfast and anticipating a reward. If you fight showing off and vying [with each other as to who will attain the most spoils], then Allah will raise you up showing off and vying. In whatever state you fight or are killed, then Allah will raise you up in that state.’”
Muslim related the hadith of Abu Hurayrah that he said, “I heard the Prophet saying, ‘The first person to have judgement passed on him on the Day of Rising will be a man who was killed as a martyr (shahid) and he will be brought, and He will show him His blessings and he will acknowledge them. He will say, ‘So what did you do for them?’ and he will say, ‘I fought for You until I was killed as a martyr (shahid).’ He will say, ‘You lie! But rather you fought so that it might be said, “[He was] daring,” and that has been said.’ Then the command will be given and he will be dragged on his face and thrown in the Fire.
“[Then there will be] a man who learnt knowledge and taught it and who recited the Qur’an. He will be brought, and He will show him His blessings and he will acknowledge them. He will say, ‘What did you do for them?’ and he will say, ‘I learnt knowledge and taught it, and recited the Qur’an for You.’ He will say, ‘You lie! But rather you learnt knowledge so that someone might say, “[He is] a man of knowledge,” and you recited Qur’an so that someone might say, “[He is] a Qur’an reciter,” and it has been said.’ Then the command will be given and he will be dragged on his face until he is thrown in the Fire.
“[Then there will be] a man to whom Allah was enormously generous giving him all kinds of wealth. He will be brought and He will show him His blessings and he will acknowledge them, and He will say, ‘So what did you do for them?’ He will say, ‘I didn’t leave any way in which You love wealth to be spent but that I spent in it for You.’ He will say, ‘You lie! But rather you did it so that someone might say, “He is very generous,” and that has been said.’
Then the command will be given and he will be dragged on his face until he is thrown in the Fire.” In the hadith there is that when this hadith reached Mu’awiyah he wept until he fainted. When he recovered he said, “Allah and His Messenger told the truth. Allah says:
‘As for those who desire the life of the dunyd and its finery, We will give them full payment in it for their actions. They will not be deprived here of their due. But such people will have nothing in the dkhirah but the Fire.”’
A warning has been transmitted against learning knowledge for any other purpose than the face of Allah, as Imam Ahmad, Abu Dawud, Ibn Majah related from the hadith of Abu Hurayrah from the Prophet that he said, “Whoever learns knowledge of that type by which the face of Allah is sought and only learns it to obtain some of the world’s goods, then he will not find the odour of the Garden on the Day of Rising,”42 meaning, its scent.
At-Tirmidhi related a hadith of Ka‘b ibn Malik that the Prophet said, “Whoever seeks knowledge in order to argue with foolish people, or to compete with people of knowledge, or to turn people’s faces towards him, then Allah will put him in the Fire.” Ibn Majah related the same meaning from a hadith of Ibn ‘Umar, Hudhayfah and Jabir, may Allah be pleased with them, from the Prophet and the wording of Jabir is, “Do not learn knowledge in order to complete with people of knowledge or to argue with foolish people or to do well in assemblies. For whoever does that, then [beware of] the Fire! The Fire!” Ibn Mas‘ud said, “Do not learn knowledge for three reasons: to argue with foolish people, or to dispute with fuqaha’, or to turn people’s faces towards you. Seek from your words and your actions that which is with Allah because it endures and what is other than it will go away.”
A warning is transmitted about acting for the sake of other than Allah, in general, as Imam Ahmad related from a hadith of Ubayy ibn Ka‘b that the Prophet said, “Tell this ummah the good news of high rank, might, exaltation, din and firm establishment in the land. Whoever of them does the work of the next life for the sake of the world will have no portion in the next life.’
Know that there are a number of types of acting for other than Allah: sometimes it is pure showing off such that someone only intends to be seen by people for some worldly purpose, which is the state of the hypocrites in their salah, as Allah says:
“When they get up to pray, they get up lazily, showing off to people, and
only remembering Allah a very little.”
He says, exalted is He:
“So woe to those who do salah, and are forgetful of their salah, those who
show off…”
Similarly Allah, exalted is He, describes the kafirun as merely showing off,
in His words:
“Do not be like those who left their homes in arrogance, showing off to people and barring them from the way of Allah.”
This unalloyed showing off is unlikely to issue from a mu’minn in the salah or the fast, but it may issue from him in the obligatory sadaqah (the zakah) or the Hajj and other outward actions or in those actions whose benefits go beyond the person themselves, because sincerity in them is very difficult. The Muslim does not doubt that this action is void and its perpetrator deserves the abhorrence of Allah and punishment.
Sometimes an action can be for the sake of Allah but there is some showing off in it If the showing off occurs in its fundamental parts then authentic texts show that it is invalid and void.
In Sahih Muslim there is from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet said, “Allah, blessed is He and exalted, said, ‘I am the most independent of partners from the ascription of partnership. Whoever does an action in which he associates other than Me as a partner with Me, then I abandon him and his partner.” Ibn Majah also related it and his wording is, “Then I am free of it and it is for the one whom he associated as a partner.
Imam Ahmad related from Shaddad ibn Aws, that the Prophet said, “Someone who prays showing off has ascribed a partner [to Allah], and someone who fasts showing off has ascribed a partner [to Allah], and someone who pays sadaqah showing off has ascribed a partner [to Allah]. Truly, Allah says, ‘I am the best divider of the shares for the one who associates anything with Me, because all of his action, whether it is much or little, is for his partner whom he associated as a partner with Me; I have no need of it.”
Imam Ahmad, at-Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah narrated the hadith of Abu Sa’id ibn Abi Fadalah – and he was one of the Companions — that he said, “The Messenger of Allah said, “When Allah gathers together the first and the last on the Day about Which there is no doubt, a crier will call out, ‘Whoever associated a partner in an action which he did for Allah then let him seek his reward from other than Allah because of all partners Allah is the One Who has least need of the association of partners. ”
Al-Bazzar narrated in his Musnad the hadith of ad-Dahhak ibn Qays, that the Prophet said, Truly, Allah says, ‘I am the best partner, for whoever associates a partner with Me, then it is for My partner.’ People! Purify your actions for the sake of Allah & because Allah only accepts actions that are purely for His sake. Do not say, ‘This is for Allah and for kindred,’ because it is for kindred and none of it is for Allah. Do not say, ‘This is for Allah and for your sakes,’ because it is for your sakes and none of it is for Allah.”
An-Nasa’i narrated with a good chain of transmission from Abu Umamah al-Bahili that, “A man came to the Prophet and asked, ‘Messenger of Allah, what do you think about a man who goes on a military expedition seeking reward and renown?’ The Messenger of Allah said, ‘There will be nothing for him.’ The man asked him about it three times and the Messenger of Allah kept saying, ‘There will be nothing for him.’ Then he said, ‘Truly, Allah only accepts actions which are purely for Him and by which His face is sought’”
Al-Hakim narrated a hadith of Ibn ‘Abbas that he said, “A man asked, ‘Messenger of Allah, I take a stand by which I intend the face of Allah, and I want my stand to be seen?’ The Messenger of Allah did not reply to him, until there was revealed:
So let him who hopes to meet his Lord act rightly and not associate anyone in the worship of his Lord.’”
Among those from whom this same sense is narrated – that when any showing off is mixed with an action it is invalid – are a whole party of the first right-acting generations, among whom were ‘Ubadah ibn as-samit, Abu’d- Darda’, al-Hasan, Said ibn al-Musayyab and others. Among the mursal hadith which al-Qasim ibn Mukhaymirah narrated from the Prophet is that he said, “Allah does not accept an action in which there is showing off to the weight of a mustard seed.”
We know of no disagreement among the first right-acting generations about this, even if there is some disagreement among the later generations. If someone mixes an intention, which is not showing off, with his intention for jihad, for example taking a wage for the service, or taking something from the spoils, or trading [while on the expedition], then the reward of the jihad will be decreased by that amount but it will not be entirely invalidated.
In Sahih Muslim, there is from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr & that the Prophet said, “When the warriors gain spoils they hasten with two-thirds of their reward [in this world], but if they do not gain anything then they have a complete reward [in the akhira] .” We have previously mentioned a number of hadith which show that whoever intends to gain some worldly goods by his Jihad has no reward, which are interpreted to refer to someone who has no other intention but worldly gain in his jihad.
Imam Ahmad said, The reward of the merchant, the hired man, the one who leases [possibly riding animals for jihad] depend on how pure their intentions are for the military expeditions, but they are not the same as the one who struggles with himself and his own wealth without mixing anything else with it” He also said about someone who takes a prize for jihad that if he does not embark for the sake of the dirhams there is no harm in him accepting them. It is as if he goes out for the sake of his din, and then if he is given something he takes it Similarly, it is related that ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr said, “When one of you decides to join a military expedition and then Allah provides him with supplies, there is no harm, but when he is refused a dirham he remains at home, then there is no good in that Similarly, al-Awza‘i said, “If the warrior’s intention is the military expedition, then I do not see any harm in it The same is said of someone who takes something for the Hajj so that he might go on the Hajj with it either for himself or for someone else.” It has been narrated that Mujahid said that the Hajj of the camels’ attendants [who accompany the party to look after their camels], the Hajj of someone employed [perhaps to accompany someone else on Hajj], and the Hajj of the trader [who trades during the Hajj] “are complete, and nothing is deducted from their reward,” which is based on the interpretation that their original intention was the Hajj rather than the earnings.
As for when the action is originally for the sake of Allah, and later the intention to show off creeps into it, then if it is a transitory thought which he rejects there is no disagreement that it will do him no harm. If he gives himself up to it, then there is a question as to whether that invalidates his action or whether it does not harm him, and whether he will be rewarded according to his original intention. There is some disagreement among the people of knowledge of the first right-acting generations about that, which Imam Ahmad and Ibn Jarir af-Tabari narrate. They both thought that the weightier point of view was that his action is not invalidated because of that and that he will be rewarded because of his former intention, which is the point of view narrated of Hasan al-Basri and others.
The evidence for this position is taken from something Abu Dawud narrated among his mursal hadith from ‘Ata’ al-Khurasani that, “A man asked, ‘Messenger of Allah, all of Bani Salamah fight. Some of them fight for the sake of the world, some fight out of valour, and some of them fight out of desire for the face of Allah, so which of them are martyrs {shahid)?’ He said, ‘Each one of them, if his original intention is that the word of Allah should be the uppermost.’”
Ibn Jarir mentioned that this disagreement is only with respect to actions whose ends are dosing connected to their beginnings such as salah, fasting and Hajj, but as for those where there is no direct connection such as recitation, dhikr, spending money and spreading knowledge, then they are cut off when the intention to show off occurs and renewal of the intention is needed. In that respect it has been narrated that Sulayman ibn Dawud al-Hashimi said, “Often I narrate a hadith for which I have an intention, but when I come to part of it, my intention changes, so that one hadith requires many intentions.” This does not negate jihad, as is clear from the mursal hadith of ‘Ata’ al-Khurasani, because jihad becomes obligatory when one is present in the ranks [of the fighting men] and it is not permitted to abandon it at that moment, so it becomes like the Hajj.
As for when someone does an action purely for Allah and then later Allah creates praise in the hearts of the mu ‘minun for that act of his, and he rejoices in the bounty of Allah and His mercy and is happy for that, it will not harm him at all. There is the hadith of Abu Dharr from the Prophet to this purport, that he asked about a man who does a good action for the sake of Allah and of which people praise him, and so he said, “That is an early bringer of good tidings to the mu’min.” Muslim and Ibn Majah narrated it and he [Ibn Majah] had [die wording], “A man does an action for the sake of Allah for which people love him,” and it was in this sense that Imam Ahmad, Ishaq ibn Rahwayh, Ibn Jarir af-Tabari and others interpreted it.
Similarly, there is the hadith which at-Tirmidhl and Ibn Majah narrated from Abu Hurayrah that, “A man asked, ‘Messenger of Allah, what about a man who does an action which he keeps a secret, and then when it is discovered he is pleased with that?’ He said, ‘He has two rewards: the reward for [his having kept it] secret and the reward for [its becoming] public.’”
We will confine ourselves to this amount of discussion on sincerity and showing off, because it is enough.
In summary, how excellent are the words of Sahl ibn ‘Abdullah at-Tustari, “There is nothing harder on the self than (doing something purely for the sake of Allah), because it has no portion from it.”
Yusuf ibn al-Husayn ar-Razi said, “The most difficult thing in the world is ikhlas. How I struggle to remove showing off from my heart and it is as if it grows in it again with other colours.”
Ibn ‘Uyaynah said, “One of the supplications of Mutarrif ibn ‘Abdullah was, ‘O Allah, I ask Your forgiveness for that of which I repented to You and then returned to it. I seek Your forgiveness for that which I imposed on myself for Your sake and then did not fulfil it for You. I seek forgiveness for that which I claimed that I intended for Your face and then my heart mixed in with it that which You know.’”
SECTION [on intention according to the meaning used by the people of fiqh]
As for the meaning of intention which the people of fiqh use to distinguish acts of worship from ordinary everyday acts, and to distinguish one act of worship from another, because withholding oneself from eating and drinking is sometimes employed as a prophylactic measure for the protection of health, and sometimes because of an inability to eat, and sometimes in order to give up the appetites for the sake of Allah and so fasting requires an intention to distinguish it from these other reasons for giving up food.
Other acts of worship are similar in that respect, such as salah and fasting, of which some are obligatory and some optional. There are a number of different obligations. The obligatory prayers are five every day and night, but different fasts can be obligatory: Ramadan, a fast for expiating a serious wrong action, and for a vow which one foiled to fulfil, and these are only distinguished by the intention. Similarly, Sadaqah may be optional or obligatory. That which is obligatory is the zakah. There is also that which is for expiation of a serious wrong action. These are only distinguished from each other by intention, all of which is comprised generally in his words “And there is only for each man that which he intends.”
There are well known differences among the people of knowledge about some of the above. For example, one of them did not require that someone have a specific intention for the obligatory prayer, but on the contrary it was enough for him that one intend the obligatory prayer of the moment even if he doesn’t have the name of the prayer present in his consciousness at that time. This is narrated as the view of Imam Ahmad. Based on that statement whoever misses a prayer from the day or the night and forgets which one it is must make up three prayers, the dawn prayer [a two rak’ah prayer], the sunset prayer [a three rak’ah prayer] and any one of the four rak’ah prayers.
Similarly, a group of the people of knowledge took the position that the fast of Ramadan also does not require a specific intention but that it is sufficient merely to have the intention to fast since the time [the month of Ramadan] is not appropriate for any other fast. This is also narrated of Imam Ahmad. It is often narrated from some of them that the fast of Ramadan does not require an intention at all because of its specific nature, so that in that way it is like returning deposits. It has been told about al-Awza’i that the zakah is like that too, and one of them interpreted his words to mean that it is sufficient to have the intention of sadaqah as [in the case of] the Hajj. Similarly, Abu Hanifah said, “Even if someone were to give the entire ni$ab6* without any intention it would discharge his obligation of zakah.”
It has been narrated that the Prophet heard a man calling out the talbiyah for the Hajj for [some other] man, and so he asked him, “Have you done the Hajj for yourself?” He said, “No.” He said, “This one is for you, then later perform the Hajj for the [other] man.” Some things have been said concerning the soundness of this hadith, but in fact it is sound from Ibn ‘Abbas and others. Ash-Shafi’i, Ahmad in what is well known of him, and others passed judgement based on it, that [the single obligatory] Hajj of Islam is discharged by having the intention of Hajj whether one intends it as an optional and voluntary act, or any other intention, and that a specific intention is not a precondition of the Hajj. That means that someone who performs the Hajj on behalf of another person and has not done it himself, then that Hajj is reckoned as his. It is similar if he performs Hajj because of a vow or as an optional act and he has not performed the [single obligatory] Hajj of Islam, then it is transformed into it. It is well established that the Prophet told his Companions during the Farewell Hajj after they had begun it with him and had done the tawaf and the sa’y that they should cancel their Hajj and make it an ‘Ummah. Some of them were performing the form of Hajj called qiran t°, and others the form called ifrad so that their tawaf on arrival was just a tawaf of arrival and not an obligatory tawaf. Yet he told them to regard it as
the tawaf of an ‘Umrah which is an obligation [of the Umrah]. Imam Ahmad then judged on the basis of that in cancelling Hajj and he acted according to it, which is problematic in principle for it makes it obligatory to make a specific intention for the obligatory tawaf for the Hajj and ‘Umrah, and most of the people of Fiqh disagree with him on that, including Malik, ash-Shafii and Abu Hanifah.
Imam Ahmad made a distinction between tawaf in the state of ihram being transformed, such as the tawaf which is cancelled and made into an ‘Umrah so that the tawaf is transformed in accordance with the transformation of his ihram just as the tawaf in the ihram which he had intended as an optional act while he still owed the [single obligatory] Hajj of Islam is transformed [into the Hajj of Islam] in accordance with the transformation of his ihram from its original [purpose], and its then standing in place of his obligatory [Hajj].
This is different from the case when he performs the tawaf for visiting [the Ka’bah] or with the intention of taking leave or as an optional act, because these would not discharge his duty since he did not intend the obligation and they would not be transformed into an obligation in accordance to the transformation of his ihram, and Allah knows best.
Something that is related to this section is that a man at the time of the Prophet had given his sadaqah to another man. The son of the man who had given the sadaqah. went and took it from the recipient His father came to know of that and took his dispute with his son to the Prophet saying, “I did not intend [to give it to] you!” The Prophet said to the man who had given the sadaqah, “You have what you intended,” and he said to the one who had taken it, “You have what you took.” Al-Bukhari narrated it.
Imam Ahmad based himself upon this hadith and acted by it according to the texts which we have from him about it, even though the majority of his companions disagreed with him, because the man was only prohibited to give sadaqah [zakah] to his son for fear that it would merely be from his affection [rather than discharging the duty of purification of his wealth], but since it reached his son without his knowledge of it, affection was not a motive in his giving it, and he and he (the son) was happened to be one of those who, at the same time, could legally accept sadaqah. For this reason, even if someone gives his sadaqah to someone whom he thinks is in need but who in reality is not in need then it discharges his duty [to pay the zakah] according to the sound position, since he only gives it to someone whom he believes can legally accept it, and the state of being in need is something hidden about which it is often difficult to discover the truth.
As for purification, the disagreement about the stipulation of an intention for it is well known, which derives from the question of whether purification for the prayer is a separate act of worship or just one of the preconditions of the prayer, like removal of impurities and covering the private parts. Those who do not stipulate that there should be an intention do so because they consider it to be just like the other preconditions of the prayer. Those who stipulate that there should be an intention do so because they regard it as an independent act of worship, and because if it is an act of worship in itself, then it is not valid without an intention. This is the position of the majority of the people of knowledge, and proof of the soundness of that is the overwhelming majority of authentic sources from the Prophet that state that, “Wudu’ expiates wrong actions and errors, and that whoever does wudu as it is commanded then it is an expiation for his wrong actions.”
This indicates that the wudu ’which is commanded in the Qur’an is itself an independent act of worship, since one of its consequences is expiation of wrong actions, and because wudu ’without an intention does not expiate any wrong actions, about which there is total agreement, and it is not commanded and the prayer is invalid with it For this reason, there is nothing in the nature of reward as that which is related about wudu ’for any of the other preconditions of the prayer, such as for the removal of impurities and covering the private parts. Even if someone, as well as intending wudu ’ intends to cool himself and remove impurity or dirt, it fulfils what is required of him according to the texts transmitted from ash-Shafii and it is also the position of most of the companions of Ahmad, because this [extra] purpose is not haram or disapproved.
For that reason, even if his purpose, along with removing the cause which obviates his wudu, is to teach wudu’, there is no harm. The Prophet sometimes used to do the prayer with the purpose of teaching it to people, and similarly the Hajj, as he said, “Take your rites from me.”
One of the branches of knowledge into which intention enters is cases concerning oaths. The oath which arises from vain and useless talk (laghw) does not require expiation, and it [laghw] is defined as careless statements without any deep purpose in the heart, such as the saying, “No, by Allah! ” and “Of course, by Allah!” during conversation. Allah, exalted is He, says:
“Allah will not take you to task for inadvertent statements (laghw) in your oaths, but He will take you to task for the intention your hearts have made.”
Similarly, in the matters of oaths, one must return, to the intention of the one who swears and his purpose in his oath. If he swears to divorce or to free a slave and then later claims that he intended something other than what the apparent outward sense of his expression conveys, he is believed with respect to that which is between him and Allah. As to whether it should be accepted in outward judgement or not, there are two well known positions that the people of knowledge take, both of which are narrated of Ahmad. It is narrated of ‘Umar that a man was brought to him whose wife had said to him, “Tell me what I am like.” He had said, “You are like a gazelle, or you are like a female pigeon.” She said, “I will not be contented until you say, ‘You are a female camel loosed from the hobbling cord,” and so he said it. ‘Umar said, “Take her hand, for she is your wife.” Abu ‘Ubayd narrated it and said, “He meant the female camel which is hobbled, and then it is loosed from its hobbling cord which slips off her and so she is loosed because she had been let loose from it. The man had meant that and so ‘Umar removed the judgement of divorce because that [metaphor and not divorce] had been his intention.” He said, “This is the principle for every person who talks in some way which resembles the expressions used in divorce or freeing slaves, whereas he had intended something else. His word is decisive in respect to that which is between him and Allah & and in outward judgement, according to the interpretation of the school of ‘Umar .”
It has been narrated that Sumayt as-Sadusi said, “I proposed to a woman and they said to me, ‘We will not marry her to you until you divorce your wife.’ So I said, ‘I divorce her,’ three times, and so they married her to me. Then later they realised that my wife was still with me, and they asked, ‘Did you not divorce her three times?’ I said, ‘So-and-so was with me [as my wife] and I divorced her, and so-and-so and I divorced her, but as for this one, I did not divorce her.’ Then I went to Shaqiq ibn Thawr, who wanted to go in a deputation to ‘Uthman, and said to him, ‘Ask the Amir al-Mu’minin about this.’ He went and asked him. He (‘Uthman) said, ‘It is according to his intention.’” Abu ‘Ubayd narrated it in Kitab at talaq ‘The Book of Divorce” and said that the people of knowledge have a consensus on situations like this.
Ishaq ibn Mansur said, “I asked Ahmad, ‘Do you know the hadith of Sumayt. ’ He said, ‘Yes. As-Sadusi. He made that his intention, and Shaqiq mentioned it to ‘Uthman who said that it was according to his intention. If the one who had sworn was [in the position of being] the wrongdoer [in the dispute with the other person] and he intended something different from what his adversary made him swear to, then his [alleged] intention is not any use to him.’”
It is narrated in Sahih Muslim from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet said, “Your oath is according to what your companion believes and affirms.” In another narration of his, “The oath is according to the intention of the one who demands the oath,” and this principle applies to the wrongdoer, but as for someone who has been wronged that [intention] will benefit him.
Imam Ahmad and Ibn Majah narrated a hadith of Suwayd ibn Hanzalah in which he said, “We went out intending to go to the Messenger of Allah and Wi’il ibn Hujr was with us. An enemy of his seized him [on the way].
People found it difficult to swear an oath, and so I swore an oath that he was my brother, and so they let him go. We came to the Prophet« and I told him that the other people had found it difficult to swear an oath and that I had sworn that he was my brother, and he said, ‘You told the truth. A muslim is a muslim’s brother.”’
Similarly, intention is involved in divorce and freeing slaves. If someone expresses words which carry the possible interpretation of divorce or freeing a slave, then he must have an intention. Whether circumstantial indication such as anger or a request for a divorce, will stand in place of intention or not is something on which there is a very well-known disagreement among the people of knowledge. Similarly, whether the divorce takes place inwardly just as if he had intended it, or whether he is merely obliged with it in outward judgement alone is another thing on which there is a famous difference of opinion. If he brings about the divorce by an open indirect allusion such as “it is the final decision” and the like, does he cause three divorces or one? There are two well-known different views on that. The clear position of Ahmad’s madhhab is that three divorces take effect by that if his intention is unspecific [to any number], but that if he intends less than three then whatever he intends comes into effect, but there are other narrations from him that in this latter case he is still obliged with three divorces.
Even if someone sees a woman and, thinking her to be his wife, he divorces her and then it becomes clear that she is a stranger, nevertheless, his wife is divorced since he intended to divorce his wife, which Ahmad stated. It is also said in another narration from him that she is not divorced, which is the position of ash-Shafi‘i. If itis the opposite, and he sees a woman whom he thinks a stranger and divorces her and then it becomes clear that it is actually his wife, then is she divorced? On this there are two views both of which are narrated from Ahmad, but the dominant position in the madhhab of ash-Shafii and others is that she is divorced.
If he has two wives one of whom he forbids to go out and then he sees that one of his wives has gone out and thinks that it is the one whom he forbade, and so says to her, “So and so, did you go out? You are divorced! ” Then people of knowledge have differed about it. Al-Hasan said, “The one whom he forbade is divorced because it was her he meant.” Ibrahim said, “They are both divorced.” ‘Ata’ said, “Neither of them are divorced.” Ahmad said, “The one whom he forbade is divorced,” and in one narration, “because he meant to divorce her.” On whether the [wife he actually] addressed is divorced there are also two [differing] narrations from him. The companions [of Ahmad] differed about the statement that she is divorced, as to whether it is only in legal ruling or also in the inward reality, on which they took two different paths.
It is inferred from his words “Actions are by intentions, and each man has only that which he intends” that contracts and agreements by which someone intends inwardly to reach something haram are invalid, such as contracts of sale by which usury and the like are intended, as is the madhhab of Malik, Ahmad and others, because by this contract he only intends usury and not a sale, “And for each man there is only that which he intends.”
There are very many issues connected to fiqh surrounding intention, but in what we have mentioned there is enough. Ash-Shafii said about this hadith, “It is involved in seventy chapters of fiqh” and Allah knows best.
Intention is the purpose of the heart, and it is not necessary to express verbally that which is in the heart in any of the acts of worship. One of the companions of ash-Shafii narrated that his position was that one must verbally express the intention for the prayer, but meticulous scholars said that he was mistaken. Later fuqaha differ about verbally expressing the intention for the prayer and for other [acts of worship]. Some regard it as desirable, some as disapproved. We do not know of any special narration on these issues from the first right-acting generations except in the case of the Hajj alone, because Mujahid said, “When someone intends the Hajj he should name what he is embarking upon.” It is also narrated that he said, “He should name it in the talbiyah,” but this is not the issue we are discussing, because the Prophet * used to mention his rites in his saying, “Labbayk, Umrah and Hajj.” But our discussion here is on the issue that one says while making the intention for ihram, “O Allah, I intend Hajj” or “Umrah” which some of the fuqaha ’ regard as preferrable, and about which the words of Mujahid are not explicitly clear. Most of the right-acting early generations including ‘Ata’, Tawus, al-Qasim ibn Muhammad and an-Nakha‘i were specific that one should form a detailed intention at the beginning. It is narrated by an authentic path from Ibn ‘Umar that he saw a man while beginning his ihram saying, “O Allah, I intend Hajj and ‘Umrah,” and so he asked him, “Are you telling people? Does Allah not know what is in your self?”
Malik was specific about this, that it is not recommended to name [aloud] that which one intends by one’s ihram. This is narrated by the author of the book Tahdhib al-Mudawwanah who was one of his followers. Abu Dawud said, “I asked Ahmad, ‘Before the takbir [of the prayer] do you say anything?’ And he said, ‘No.’” This implies that one does not articulate the intention verbally, and Allah, glorious and exalted is He, knows best.
