Actions are by Intensions...

By Ustad Abu Talha

This is explanation of the well known hadith, which all Muslims must know about. Its a brief explanation but a very useful one in understanding this precious gem. Hope you benefit from it.

On the authority of the Commander of the Faithful Abu Hafs Umar ibn al-Khattaab said: ‘I heard the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) saying: “Surely, all actions are but driven by intentions and, verily, every man shall have but that which he intended. Thus, he whose migration was for Allah and His Messenger, [then] his migration was for Allah and His Messenger; and he whose migration was to achieve some worldly benefit or to take a woman in marriage, his migration was for that which he migrated.”

This was related by the two Imams of the scholars of hadith, Abu Abdullah Muhammad ibn Ismaaeel ibn Ibraaheem ibn al-Mugheerah ibn Bardizbah al-Bukhari and Muslim ibn al-Hajjaaj ibn Muslim al-Qushairi al-Naisaboori in their collections of authentic hadith which are the most authentic works compiled.

This is one of the greatest hadith, although it is well known – it is only Umar who narrated it. The chain from Umar to Yahya Ibn Saeed [Ref: Zarabozo, 1/111] is the only authentic chain for this hadith. From Yahya Ibn Saeed, it becomes mutawatir.

Ali ibn al-Madani said: ‘No authentic chain except this chain.’

Many scholars start of their work by quoting this hadith first, this is what Imam Bukhari also did – this is to show that intension comes first, and it should not be for anyone other than Allah (SWT). Imam an-Nawawi starts three of his books by quoting this hadith first.

Abdur-Rahman Ibn Mahdi said: ‘If I wrote a book, I would put this hadith in every chapter.’

Imam ash-Shafi said: ‘This hadith is a third of knowledge. It comes in more than seventy chapters of fiqh.’ Meaning; all worship requires intension, to make wudu, to pray, to pay zakat – it comes in many areas of fiqh.

Imam Ahmad said: ‘The principles of Islam are based on three ahadith: Hadith Umar – “Actions are but by intensions…”; Hadith Aisha – “Whoever invents in this matter of ours what does not belong to it, then it will be rejected…”; and Hadith Numan bin Bashir – “The halal is clear and the haram is clear…”’

Why did Imam Ahmad say this? Looking at the Deen as a whole, it is about doing halal and keeping away from the haram and there are some ‘grey areas’. Doing the halal and keeping away from the haram is reported in Hadith Numan bin Bashir; but to do this, it has to be according to the Shar’iah, which is reported in Hadith Aisha. Furthermore an action is not accepted unless it is done for Allah (SWT), which is reported in Hadith Umar – and thus these three ahadith are the basis of the principles of Islam.

Allah (SWT) said: “Who has created death and life, that He may test you which of you is best in deed. And He is the All-Mighty, the Oft-Forgiving.” Surah al-Mulk, Verse 2

Fudayl bin Ayyad said that ‘best in deed’ means those of you who are most sincere and most correct in their actions.

If it is pure and not correct; it is not accepted. If it is correct and not pure; it is also not accepted. It has to be correct and sincere to be accepted by Allah (SWT).

“Surely, all actions are but driven by intentions…

There are two meanings given by the scholars:

1. Action to be correct; intension must be correct. Restricts actions to worship only.
2. The actions are caused by intensions. Intension is a reason for action. It is not restricted to worship only.

“…and, verily, every man shall have but that which he intended…”

Meaning the result of that intension – example; a person make the intension for wudu and so he will have wudu. The consequence of that intension is what a person will get.

“…Thus, he whose migration was for Allah and His Messenger, [then] his migration was for Allah and His Messenger…”

Then, the Prophet (pbuh) gave this example. Meaning the cause for the person’s migration; that person will get that.

“…and he whose migration was to achieve some worldly benefit or to take a woman in marriage, his migration was for that which he migrated.”

This case is something else – dunya – that person will get what he migrated for.

Zarabozo said: ‘The Prophet (pbuh) belittled the goal of the person who migrated for some worldly purpose by stating, ‘Then his migration is for it.’ With out explicitly stating what was being referred to.’

• Intension – an-Niya /al-Qasd /al-Iradah

Two different aspects:

1. Fiqhi point of view
2. Spiritual aspect

In the fiqhi aspect, it is further divided:

1. Where one distinguished an act of worship from a natural act; example – wudu or just wash the limbs. Intension differentiates an act of worship from a normal act.

2. Distinguish one act of worship to another act of worship.

In the spiritual aspect, it means: who the action is for; is it for Allah (SWT) or for someone other than Him? If it for Allah (SWT) – it is referred as Ikhlas. If it is for other than Allah (SWT) – it is referred as Shirk.

Allah (SWT) also uses iradah – [want] in the Qur’an: “Among you are those who want the dunya and among you are those want the akhirah.” Surah Aal-Imran, Verse 152

• Migration – al-Hijrah

It means to move lands of the disbelievers to the lands of Islam. It can be wajib or mustahab.

It is wajib when you can not practice your Deen; when you can not do your fard ‘ayn duties – one must leave.

It is mustahab when one can leave a bad place for better place where the person can worship Allah (SWT) – as this was the case with the man who killed a 100 people; Hadith Sa’id al-Khudri, found in Bukhari and Muslim.

Hijrah is till the end of time.

The Prophet (pbuh) said: “There is no hijrah after the Conquest of Makkah but there remains jihad and intension.”

Recorded by al-Bukhari and Muslim

The meaning of the hadith is, there is no hijrah from Makkah to Medina because Makkah had become part of the Islamic state – but there is other hijrah till the end of time.

There were three aspects in the migration from Makkah to Medina:

1.Migrate from Kufr to Islam

2.Migrate from fear to safety

3.Migrate from sin to obedience

The Prophet (pbuh) said: “The Muhajir is the one who avoids what Allah has prohibited.”

Recorded by al-Bukhari

The Prophet (pbuh) gave the example of migration in Hadith Umar although it can apply to any other act, [such as jihad, seeking knowledge, and giving charity.]

[The well know hadith of Abu Hurairah about the first three people to be thrown into the Hell-Fire shows one must have the correct intentions.]

The intension for seeking knowledge is to remove ignorance; worship Allah (SWT) with certainty. Allah (SWT) will make the path of Jannah easy, bless your efforts and make easy for you to learn.

Learning for riya – is the first to enter the Fire; Hadith Abu Hurairah, found in Muslim and an-Nasa’i.

• Types of Actions

1. Riya – the action is invalid, not accepted

2. Action is for Allah (SWT) and for others – this is rejected, one can’t do it partly.

Abu Hurairah narrated: ‘The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: “Allah, Blessed and Glorified be He said, ‘I am the One Who is not in need of any partner. If anyone carries out an action in which he associates with Me someone else, I will leave him with what he has associated with Me.’”

Recorded by Muslim

3. The original intension was for Allah (SWT), the Satan come to that person inspiring it to be beautified for someone. If a person repels it, it is ok. If the person allows it to continue, it is negated.

• Sincerity

It takes it years of ‘Jihaad of the Nafs’ because the Satan is always there. ‘Jihaad of the Nafs’ is not the greater of the Jihaads.

Signs of Ikhlaas –

‘Al-Mukhlis is the one who hides his good deeds just as he hides his bad deeds.’

Whether people praise or dispraise you, it is the same – this is a sign of sincerity as the action is done only for the Pleasure of Allah.

Sahl ibn Abdullah said: ‘There is nothing more difficult on the soul than ikhlaas because the nafs has no share in it.’

The one who thinks he is sincere needs sincerity. ‘Al-Ikhlass needs ikhlaas…’ – one can not think that he is sincere.

Abdur-Rahmaan Ibn Layla – when he used to do his night prayers – and if someone would come he would pretend to sleep. Another Salaf said that he fasted over twenty years and even his own family did not know!

People used to go out of their ways to make their deeds private; now we go out of our ways to get people to know about our good deeds.

Imam ash-Shafi said: ‘I wish people had taken this knowledge and people did not ascribe it to me.’

• Imam al-Bukhari and Imam Muslim

Their book of Hadith is the most authentic source after the Qur’an. Majority say that Sahih al-Bukhari is more authentic then Sahih Muslim – although some say Sahih Muslim; in term of arrangement it is better. The strongest ahadith is when they both agree upon a hadith, the Sahih al-Bukhari followed by Sahih Muslim. Imam an-Nawawi said that the scholars agree upon this.

Why is Sahih al-Bukhari better in level?

It is because the condition the Imam laid out – if two narrators did not meet, he would not narrate from them and this is not the case with Imam Muslim.

Narrating from al-Khawarij is ok – as they don’t lie. The Shia’s are the worst to narrate from as lying is part of their religion.

This is the end of the explanation; may Allah (SWT) make us from amongst His sincere slaves.

The Circles of Knowledge!

This is a very brief list of classes in Fiqh and Aqeedah that are ongoing in London which are very beneficial for those who want get in-depth understanding of these two topics – as far I know they are all free! I have given the books and its authors a very simple introduction, including the timing and the location for these classes.

FIQH:

• Manhaj as-Salikeen

This is a concise book in fiqh; it deals with the most important matters in fiqh. It is a good book to start with for a student of knowledge who will be introduced to the subject for the first time; it does not go into much detail or into the difference of opinions. It is written in such a way that understanding of it is easy for beginners.

It was written by the great Sheikh ‘Abdul Rahmaan bin Nasir as-Sa’adi (d. 1376). He was prominent jurist, exegete, and grammarian with a great interest in poetry. He was extremely intelligent and had memorized the Qur’an by the age of eleven after which he devoted himself to studying under the scholars of his land, by the age of twenty-three he was already teaching. He devoted himself entirely to learning and teaching until he became the leading religious authority in the land, with students of knowledge flocking to him from all regions. The author was an expert in fiqh and usul-ul-fiqh, initially he was Hanbali in madhab, and then he progressed in his studies by studying the works of Ibn Taymiyyah and Ibn al-Qayyum and no longer restricted himself to the Hanbali School. However he would never censure or look down upon those who followed a particular school of thought. He contributed many works in different subjects, the most of celebrated of them: Taysir al-Karim al-Mannan in exegesis; Manhaj as-Salikeen a primer in fiqh. His students include Sheikh Muhammad bin Salih al-Uthaymeen and Sheikh ‘Abdullah bin ‘Aqil. This book has had a two volume commentary by Sheikh ‘Abdullah bin Jibrin entitled as Ibhaaj ul-Mu’mineen. In the near future a commentary in English may be published Insha-Allah.

MBS, Boscobel Street, London NW8
Friday’s 6pm
Ustad Abdul-Aleem Alomgir Ali [Egypt]

• Umdat ul-Fiqh

This is a basic manual of fiqh for beginners also. It covers the basic rulings that every Hanbali needs. The book gave only the predominant opinion for each position of the Hanbali madhab.

It was written by the great Hanbali scholar Imam Muwaffiq Al-Din Ibn Qudamah al-Maqdisi (d. 620). He acquired so much knowledge and understanding of the Deen that he surpassed the companions of his study gatherings, showing an extraordinary ability. Thus, the knowledge of the Hanbali madhab and its principles fell upon his shoulders. He was one of the major Hanbali authorities and the author of the profound and voluminous book on Law, al-Mughni, which became popular amongst researchers from all juristic backgrounds. Ibn Taymiyyah said about him: ‘No one possessing more understanding of the Deen entered Shaam [Damascus], after Al-Awzaa’ee, other than Sheikh al-Mawaffaq’. The author of the book did not concentrate on evidence; he did tend to begin each section with a hadith that the student can use for figuring out many of the unmentioned branch issues. The objective of this book is for developing an all-round surface understanding of jurisprudence, without confusing the student with difference of opinion within the school. This text was famously explained by Sheikh Bahaa ud-Deen al Maqdasi, entitled: 'al 'Uddah Sharh al 'Umdah.

Lewisham & Kent Islamic Center, 363-365 Lewishham High Street,
London SE13 6NZ [www.lkic.org]
Wednesday’s 7.30pm
Ustad Faraz Farhat [Medina]

• Zaad al Mustaqni'

Zaad al Mustaqni is an abridgement of the book Al-Muqni which was written by Ibn Qudamah for the intermediate level in studying fiqh. One of the later scholars of the madhab took Ibn Qudamah’s Al-Muqni and reduced it to the predominant position in the madhab, removed extraneous issues, and added some things that were necessary. His book is known as Zaad al Mustaqni it was greatly accepted, and some scholars said that whoever has memorized Al-Zaad is fit to be a judge. While the book is indeed short, it gives the basics for the Hanbali madhab, including some things not even found in books twice its length.

Zaad al Mustaqni was written by Imam Sharaf ud-Deen Abu an-Najaa al Hajjaawi (d. 968h), originally from Quds and then settled in Salihyah Damascus. He was distinguished figure amongst the latter Damascan Hanbali scholars, and the author of two important manuals that were to remain the basis for verdicts amongst the Hanbalis until today: Zaad al Mustaqni and al-Iqna’. Many famous commentaries, short and long have been written for this masterpiece; for further detailed review of this book, click on to abuqutaybah.blogspot.com.

Al-Hamdulillah this book is actually being taught in two places in London at the same time; East and West London! So no excuses for seekers of knowledge!

Al-Muntada, 7 Bridges Place, Parsons Green London SW6 4HW [www.almuntadatrust.org]
Friday’s 7.30pm
Ustad Wasim Kempson [Medina]

Al-Ansar Islamic Education Centre, 833-835 High Road
Goodmayes, Essex IG3 8TD [www.masjidansar.com]
Friday’s 8pm
Ustad Abu Talha [Medina]

AQEEDAH:

• Al-Wasatiyyah

Regarding Tawheed as-Asmaa’ was-Sifaat this is the first book a student of knowledge should study. This book explains the belief of Ahl as-Sunnah wa al-Jama’ah regarding the Names and Attributes of Allah (SWT). It was written when the belief of Ahl as-Sunnah wa al-Jama’ah was strange and the other false beliefs were common.

It was written by the great Sheikh ul-Islam Taqi ad-Din Ibn Taymiyyah (d. 728). He came from a Hanbali family known for its piety and religious knowledge. Ibn Taymiyyah spent most of his life in Damascus. He struggled against the numerous innovations that had appeared among the Muslims. He is remembered for his invaluable contributions, not only to the Hanbali School of jurisprudence and theology, but also to the rich Islamic heritage. He also produced many students of high caliber; names such as Ibn al-Qayyum, ad-Dhahabi and Ibn Kathir are but some of his virtues. Besides being a great intellect, he was also a mujaahid and he fought valiantly against the Tartars and others.

This book was written because some judges of Waasit complained to Ibn Taymiyyah about the people’s misguidance and innovations. For this reason the book is called Al-Aqeedah Al-Wasatiyyah. He was taken to court for writing these things. This book had many commentaries; the well known ones are by Ibn al-Uthaymeen and al-Harras – these are both available in English.

Lewisham & Kent Islamic Center, 363-365 Lewishham High Street,
London SE13 6NZ [www.lkic.org]
Saturday’s 7.30pm
Ustad Abu Talha [Medina]

• At-Tahawiyyah

This is a book for the higher students of knowledge. Although it is a very small book, it is very comprehensive. It is an accepted text for all times which covers the belief of Ahl as-Sunnah wa al-Jama’ah.

It was written by Imam Abu Jafar At-Tahaawi (d.310), he was born in Taha, a town in Upper Egypt. His father was a scholar of hadith and literature. He began as a student of his maternal uncle al-Muzani, a leading disciple of Imam ash-Shafi. However, Imam Tahaawi felt drawn to corpus of Imam Abu Hanifa’s works, eventually joining the Hanafi School. Most of his works were in the field of fiqh. At-Tahaawi studied under various hadith scholars whose number reaches three hundred. The outstanding qualities of his writings are a thorough research, abundance of material and an attractive manner of presentation. Ad-Dhahabi said of him; ‘At-Tahaawi was an outstanding, intelligent scholar of repute.’

The greatest of the commentaries of this book was by the great scholar Imam Ibn Abu al-Izz al-Hanafi, this work is known as Sharh al-Aqeedah at-Tahawiyyah. The abridged version is available in English but the English is not that great. The full version is available on PDF.

Al-Ansar Islamic Education Centre, 833-835 High Road
Goodmayes, Essex IG3 8TD [www.masjidansar.com]
Saturday’s 8.00pm
Ustad Shaqur Rehman

All Praise belongs to Allah (SWT) for allowing these circles of knowledge to be existing in the heart of Kufr for us to benefit from.