The Message of the Sunna

The main message of the Sunna

The main message of the Sunna is encapsulated in the principle that actions are judged by their intentions. This foundational concept is emphasized in many hadith collections, even often as the first hadith quoted.

The first hadith of Imam an-Nawawi’s 40 Hadith collection goes as follows:

Arabic Hadith: Actions are by Intentions

عَنْ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَبِي حَفْصٍ عُمَرَ بْنِ الْخَطَّابِ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ: ” إنَّمَا الْأَعْمَالُ بِالنِّيَّاتِ، وَإِنَّمَا لِكُلِّ امْرِئٍ مَا نَوَى، فَمَنْ كَانَتْ هِجْرَتُهُ إلَى اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ فَهِجْرَتُهُ إلَى اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ، وَمَنْ كَانَتْ هِجْرَتُهُ لِدُنْيَا يُصِيبُهَا أَوْ امْرَأَةٍ يَنْكِحُهَا فَهِجْرَتُهُ إلَى مَا هَاجَرَ إلَيْهِ”. رَوَاهُ إِمَامَا الْمُحَدِّثِينَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللهِ مُحَمَّدُ بنُ إِسْمَاعِيل بن إِبْرَاهِيم بن الْمُغِيرَة بن بَرْدِزبَه الْبُخَارِيُّ الْجُعْفِيُّ [رقم: 1]، وَأَبُو الْحُسَيْنِ مُسْلِمٌ بنُ الْحَجَّاج بن مُسْلِم الْقُشَيْرِيُّ النَّيْسَابُورِيُّ [رقم: 1907] رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُمَا فِي “صَحِيحَيْهِمَا” اللذَينِ هُمَا أَصَحُّ الْكُتُبِ الْمُصَنَّفَةِ.

It is narrated on the authority of Leader of the Believers (Amir al-Mu’minin), Abu Hafs ‘Umar bin al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him), who said:

I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) say, ‘Actions are only according to intentions, and a person will only get what they intended. So whoever’s migration was to Allah and His messenger, then their migration was to Allah and his Messenger. And whoever’s migration was to get some worldly gain or for woman in order to marry her, then his migration will counted be for the sake of whatever he migrated for.’ (Bukhari and Muslim)

The main takeaway being, ‘Actions are only according to intentions, and a person will only get what they intended.’ This teaching underscores the importance of aligning one’s inner purpose with their outward actions, making intention the cornerstone of sincere and meaningful behavior.

2 lessons of right intention

The main lessons of right intention are twofold:

1. It’s a prerequisite to sincerity.
2. It’s the reality of one’s actions in seeking God.

First, having the correct intention is a prerequisite to sincerity (ikhlaas). Without pure intentions, actions lack the necessary spiritual quality that makes them acceptable and pleasing to God.

Second, the reality of our actions in seeking God is inherently tied to our intentions. The spiritual value and efficacy of our deeds are determined by the underlying motives, thereby shaping our journey towards divine proximity and approval. Hence, cultivating right intention is essential for genuine sincerity and the spiritual fulfillment of religious duties.