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

The first Hadith in Imam An-Nawawi’s Forty Hadith teaches that the value of our actions depends on our intentions. Narrated by Umar ibn Al-Khattab and recorded by Al-Bukhari and Muslim, it says each person receives what they intended, as the example of migration shows. Many scholars say it is one-third or one-fourth of Islamic knowledge.

Behavioural objectives

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

• State the first Hadith of An-Nawawi’s collection and its meaning
• Say who narrated the Hadith and describe him
• Explain the story behind the Hadith and its three main parts
• Describe the types of intention: pure, mixed and worldly
• Give examples of how the Hadith applies to worship and daily life
• 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). He was born in Nawa, Syria, and is known as one of the most knowledgeable scholars in Islamic history. He wrote many important books about Islam, including:

• Riyadh as-Saliheen (Gardens of the Righteous)
• Al-Minhaj (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 in which Imam An-Nawawi selected 42 (though it is called “Forty”) of the most important Hadith that cover the main teachings of Islam. He chose Hadith that are clear, authentic, and fundamental to understanding Islam. Many scholars, students, and ordinary Muslims have memorised this collection because of its importance.

What is the text of the first Hadith?

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?

This Hadith was narrated by Umar ibn Al-Khattab, who was:

• The second Caliph of Islam after Abu Bakr
• One of the closest companions of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)
• Known for his justice, wisdom, and strong character
• Called “Al-Farooq” (the one who distinguishes between right and wrong)
• A leader during a time when Islam spread to many new lands
• Someone who accepted Islam in the 6th year of the Prophet’s mission
• Ruler from 634 to 644 CE (13 to 23 AH)

Umar ibn Al-Khattab heard this Hadith directly from the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and shared it with others.

What is the story behind the Hadith?

Many scholars mention that this Hadith was related to a specific incident.

A man from Makkah migrated to Madinah because he wanted to marry a woman called Umm Qais, who had moved there. She had refused to marry him unless he also migrated to Madinah. People called him “Muhajir Umm Qais” (the one who migrated for Umm Qais).

This story shows how an action that looks religious (migration) can be done for a worldly reason (marriage). The Prophet (peace be upon him) used this example to teach Muslims the importance of intentions.

What does the Hadith mean?

Part 1: “Actions are only by intentions”

This first part tells us that the value and reward of our actions depend on our intentions:

• An action done with a good intention is rewarded
• The same action done with a bad intention gets no reward and may even be sinful
• Allah looks at both our actions and the intentions behind them
• Without the right intention, even good-looking actions are empty

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

This second part explains the consequences of our intentions:

• We get rewarded based on what we actually intended
• We cannot get reward for good we did not intend
• Sometimes we intend good but cannot do it, and we still get rewarded for our intention
• If we intend evil but do not do it, we are not punished for just the thought

Part 3: The example of migration

The third part gives a practical example:

• Migration (Hijrah) from Makkah to Madinah was an important religious act for early Muslims
• Those who migrated for Allah’s sake are rewarded
• Those who migrated for worldly benefits (money, marriage, etc.) only get those worldly benefits
• The same action can have different values based on the intention behind it

What are the types of intention?

Pure intention for Allah (Ikhlas)

The best intention is to do something solely for Allah’s pleasure. This means:

• Not showing off to others
• Not seeking worldly gain
• Not acting out of habit or custom
• Acting purely because Allah commanded it and to seek His reward

Mixed intentions

Sometimes our intentions are mixed:

• Partly for Allah and partly for worldly reasons
• For example, giving charity to please Allah but also to be praised by people
• The reward decreases when intentions are mixed
• We should try to purify our intentions to make them solely for Allah

Worldly intentions

These are intentions focused only on this life:

• Doing good deeds to be famous
• Worshipping to impress others (showing off or riya’)
• Seeking only money, power, or status
• Such intentions make actions lose their spiritual reward

How does the Hadith apply to our lives?

In worship (Ibadah)

This Hadith affects how we worship:

• We should check our intention before praying, fasting, giving charity, etc.
• We should renew our intention during worship if we get distracted
• We should not pray just to be seen by others
• We should not fast just for health benefits (though that can be an additional benefit)

In daily life

The Hadith applies to everyday actions too:

• Working to provide for your family can be worship with the right intention
• Studying to benefit the Muslim community has reward
• Even eating, sleeping, and recreation can have spiritual value with proper intentions
• We can turn ordinary actions into worship by intending to please Allah through them

In Da’wah (inviting others to Islam)

When inviting others to Islam:

• Our intention should be to guide people, not to show our knowledge
• We should want Allah’s message to spread, not personal fame
• Being patient with people’s questions should be for Allah’s sake

In seeking knowledge

When learning about Islam:

• Intend to practise what you learn, not just collect information
• Intend to teach others and benefit them
• Do not seek knowledge to argue and defeat others
• Do not learn just for certificates or status

Why is this Hadith important?

Called “One-Third of Knowledge”

Many scholars, including Imam Al-Bukhari, Imam Ahmad, and Imam Ash-Shafi’i, said this Hadith is one-third or one-fourth of Islamic knowledge because:

• All actions involve intention, and this Hadith covers all actions
• It teaches the inner dimension of Islam (what is in the heart)
• It distinguishes between sincere worship and showing off
• Understanding this Hadith leads to understanding many other teachings

Placed first in many collections

This Hadith is placed first in many books:

• Sahih Al-Bukhari begins with this Hadith
• Imam An-Nawawi put it first in his Forty Hadith
• Many other scholars begin their collections with it

This shows how fundamental this teaching is in Islam.

How can we improve our intentions?

Self-examination (Muhasabah)

We should regularly check our intentions:

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

Knowledge and awareness

Understanding the importance of intention helps us to:

• Learn which intentions are acceptable in Islam
• Recognise signs of showing off
• Understand how Satan tries to corrupt our intentions

Practical steps for better intentions

To purify our intentions, we can:

1. Make the intention before every action
2. Renew our intentions regularly
3. Keep our 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?

The three men in the cave

The Prophet (peace be upon him) told a story about three men trapped in a cave by a boulder. They could only escape by mentioning their sincere good deeds. Each one mentioned a deed done purely for Allah’s sake, and the boulder moved aside. This shows how sincere intentions please Allah.

The poor man’s charity

A companion gave a small amount in charity while a rich man gave much more. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said the poor man’s reward was greater because he gave with more sincerity and sacrifice. This shows that intention and effort matter more than the amount.

The poisoned sheep

When a Jewish woman offered the Prophet (peace be upon him) poisoned meat, he was saved because he said “Bismillah” (In the name of Allah) with sincere intention before eating. This shows how good intentions can protect us.

What are the common misunderstandings about this Hadith?

“Only intention matters, not actions”

Some people wrongly think this Hadith means actions do not matter as long as intentions are good. This is incorrect because:

• Both intention and action are important
• Good intentions should lead to good actions
• The Hadith connects intentions with actions and does not separate them

“I can do wrong things with good intentions”

Another misunderstanding is thinking that a good intention justifies a forbidden action:

• Good intentions cannot make haram (forbidden) things halal (permissible)
• The means must be permissible, as well as the end goal
• 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. Why do scholars say this Hadith is one-third of knowledge?
5. Give three examples of how this Hadith applies to your daily life.
6. How can we improve our intentions according to this Hadith?

Assignment

1. Tell the story of “Muhajir Umm Qais” in your own words and say what it teaches about intentions.
2. Choose any two of the practical steps for purifying our intentions and explain each one.