Hadith 1 of An-Nawawi’s Collection: (Intention Precedes Action) – JSS1 Islamic Studies Lesson Note (Second Term)

The first Hadith in An-Nawawi’s Forty Hadith teaches that the value of an action depends on the intention behind it.

Behavioural objectives

By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

1. State the first Hadith of An-Nawawi’s collection and its meaning.
2. Say who narrated the Hadith and describe him.
3. Explain the story behind the Hadith and its three main parts.
4. Describe the types of intention: pure, mixed and worldly.
5. Give examples of how the Hadith applies to worship and daily life.
6. List practical steps for improving our intentions.

Who was Imam An-Nawawi?

Imam Abu Zakariya Yahya ibn Sharaf An-Nawawi was a great Islamic scholar who lived from 1233 to 1277 CE (631 to 676 AH).

• Birthplace: Nawa, in Syria.
• Riyadh as-Saliheen: Gardens of the Righteous.
• Al-Minhaj: his commentary on Sahih Muslim.
• Al-Adhkar: The Book of Remembrances.
• Al-Arba’in An-Nawawiyyah: Forty Hadith of An-Nawawi.

What is the Forty Hadith collection?

The Forty Hadith is a famous collection of Hadith chosen by Imam An-Nawawi to cover the main teachings of Islam.

• Number: it contains 42 Hadith, though it is called “Forty”.
• Selection: he chose Hadith that are clear, authentic and basic to understanding Islam.
• Use: many scholars, students and ordinary Muslims have memorised it.

What is the text of the first Hadith?

The first Hadith is about intention (niyyah) and was reported by Umar ibn Al-Khattab.

Arabic text

عَنْ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَبِي حَفْصٍ عُمَرَ بْنِ الْخَطَّابِ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ 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 عَبْدِاللهِ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ بْنِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ الْمُغِيرَةِ بْنِ بَرْدِزْبَهْ الْبُخَارِيُّ وَأَبُو الْحُسَيْنِ مُسْلِمُ بْنُ الْحَجَّاجِ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ الْقُشَيْرِيُّ النَّيْسَابُورِيُّ فِي صَحِيحَيْهِمَا اللَّذَيْنِ هُمَا أَصَحُّ الْكُتُبِ الْمُصَنَّفَةِ.

English translation

On the authority of Amir al-Mu’minin (the Commander of the Faithful), Abu Hafs Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) say:

“Actions are only by intentions, and each person will have only what they intended. So whoever emigrated for Allah and His Messenger, then their emigration was for Allah and His Messenger. And whoever emigrated to get something in this world or to marry a woman, then their emigration was for whatever they emigrated for.”

Reported by the two Imams of hadith scholars, Abu Abdullah Muhammad ibn Isma’il ibn Ibrahim ibn al-Mughirah ibn Bardizbah al-Bukhari and Abu al-Husayn Muslim ibn al-Hajjaj ibn Muslim al-Qushayri al-Naysaburi in their two Sahihs, which are the most authentic books compiled.

Who narrated the Hadith?

The Hadith was narrated by Umar ibn Al-Khattab, the second Caliph of Islam after Abu Bakr.

• Companion: one of the closest companions of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).
• Character: known for his justice, wisdom and strong character.
• Title: called “Al-Farooq”, the one who distinguishes between right and wrong.
• Conversion: accepted Islam in the 6th year of the Prophet’s mission.
• Rule: Caliph from 634 to 644 CE (13 to 23 AH), when Islam spread to many new lands.
• Source: he said he heard the Hadith from the Prophet (peace be upon him) himself.

What is the story behind the Hadith?

It is reported that the Hadith was linked to a man who migrated to Madinah to marry a woman called Umm Qais.

1. Umm Qais had moved from Makkah to Madinah.
2. She refused to marry a man from Makkah unless he also migrated.
3. He migrated and married her.
4. People called him “Muhajir Umm Qais”, meaning the one who migrated for Umm Qais.

• Lesson: an act that looks religious (migration) can be done for a worldly reason (marriage).
• Teaching: the Prophet (peace be upon him) used the example of migration to teach the importance of intentions.

What does the Hadith mean?

The Hadith has three main parts: the rule of intention, the result of intention and the example of migration.

Part 1: “Actions are only by intentions”

The value and reward of an action depend on the intention behind it.

• Good intention: a good action done with it is rewarded.
• Bad intention: the same action gets no reward and may even be sinful.
• Allah’s knowledge: Allah knows both our actions and the intentions behind them.
• Empty actions: without the right intention, even good-looking actions earn no reward.

Part 2: “Each person will have only what they intended”

Each person is rewarded according to what they truly intended.

• Reward: we cannot get reward for good we did not intend.
• Good unfulfilled: if we sincerely intend good but are unable to do it, we are still rewarded for the intention.
• Evil not done: if we intend evil but do not do it, we are not punished for the thought alone.

Part 3: The example of migration

Migration (Hijrah) from Makkah to Madinah shows how one action can have different values.

• Importance: Hijrah was an important religious act for the early Muslims.
• For Allah: those who migrated for Allah and His Messenger are rewarded.
• For the world: those who migrated for money or marriage get only that.

What are the types of intention?

There are three types of intention: pure, mixed and worldly.

Pure intention (Ikhlas)

Ikhlas is doing an action solely for Allah’s pleasure.

• No showing off: the person does not act to impress others.
• No worldly gain: the person does not seek money or fame.
• Not mere habit: the person acts because Allah commanded it and to seek His reward.

Mixed intention

A mixed intention is partly for Allah and partly for worldly reasons.

• Example: giving charity to please Allah but also to be praised by people.
• Effect: it weakens the reward.
• Advice: we should try to purify it until it is for Allah alone.

Worldly intention

A worldly intention is focused only on this life.

• Fame: doing good deeds only to become famous.
• Riya’: worshipping to impress others, which is showing off.
• Gain: seeking only money, power or status.
• Effect: the action loses its spiritual reward.

How does the Hadith apply to our lives?

The Hadith applies to worship, daily life, Da’wah and the search for knowledge.

In worship (Ibadah)

• Check: examine your intention before praying, fasting or giving charity.
• Renew: renew your intention during worship if you get distracted.
• Prayer: do not pray just to be seen by others.
• Fasting: do not fast only for health, though health is an extra benefit.

In daily life

• Work: working to provide for your family can be worship with the right intention.
• Study: studying to benefit the Muslim community earns reward.
• Ordinary acts: eating, sleeping and recreation can have spiritual value with proper intentions.

In Da’wah (inviting others to Islam)

• Aim: intend to guide people, not to show off your knowledge.
• Message: want Allah’s message to spread, not personal fame.
• Patience: be patient with people’s questions for Allah’s sake.

In seeking knowledge

• Practise: intend to act on what you learn, not just collect information.
• Teach: intend to teach others and benefit them.
• Avoid arguing: do not seek knowledge to argue with others and defeat them.
• Avoid status: do not learn just for certificates or status.

Why is this Hadith important?

This Hadith is important because many scholars say it is one-third or one-fourth of Islamic knowledge.

Why is it called one-third of knowledge?

• Covers all actions: every action involves an intention.
• Inner side of Islam: it teaches what is in the heart.
• Sincerity: it separates sincere worship from showing off.
• Link to other teachings: understanding it helps us understand many other teachings.

Why is it placed first in books?

• Sahih Al-Bukhari: the book begins with this Hadith.
• Forty Hadith: Imam An-Nawawi put it first.
• Other scholars: many begin their collections with it, which shows how basic the teaching is.

How can we improve our intentions?

We improve our intentions by checking them often, learning about them and following practical steps.

Self-examination (Muhasabah)

• Before an action: ask, “Why am I doing this?”
• During an action: ask, “Is my intention still pure?”
• After an action: ask, “Was my intention purely for Allah?”

Knowledge and awareness

• Acceptable intentions: learn which intentions Islam accepts.
• Showing off: learn to recognise its signs.
• Satan: understand how he tries to spoil our intentions.

What are the practical steps for better intentions?

1. Make the intention before every action.
2. Renew your intentions regularly.
3. Keep your good deeds secret when possible.
4. Remember that Allah sees our hearts.
5. Think about the Hereafter and Allah’s reward.
6. Avoid seeking praise from others.

What stories about intention come from Islamic history?

Two accounts from the time of the Prophet (peace be upon him) show the value of sincere intention.

The three men in the cave

• Event: three men were trapped in a cave by a boulder.
• Way out: each prayed to Allah by mentioning a good deed he did purely for Allah’s sake.
• Result: the boulder moved aside.
• Lesson: sincere intentions please Allah.

The small charity

• Event: a person with little gave a small amount, while a rich person gave far more.
• Teaching: the Prophet (peace be upon him) said the small gift could be better in Allah’s sight.
• Lesson: sincerity and sacrifice matter more than the size of the gift.

What are the common misunderstandings about this Hadith?

Two common misunderstandings are that only intention matters and that a good intention excuses a wrong act.

“Only intention matters, not actions”

• Wrong idea: actions do not matter if the intention is good.
• Correct view: both intention and action matter.
• Link: good intentions should lead to good actions.

“I can do wrong things with good intentions”

• Haram stays haram: a good intention cannot make a forbidden (haram) act permissible (halal).
• Means and end: both the method and the goal must be permissible.
• Hadith: the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “Whoever introduces something new into this matter of ours that is not part of it, will have it rejected.”

Evaluation

1. Write the first Hadith of An-Nawawi’s collection in Arabic and English.
2. Who narrated this Hadith and what do you know about him?
3. Explain the three main parts of this Hadith in your own words.
4. Tell the story of “Muhajir Umm Qais” and say what it teaches about intentions.
5. Give three examples of how this Hadith applies to your daily life.

Assignment

Choose any two of the practical steps for purifying our intentions and explain each one with an example from your school or home life.