Principles of Islam
23. Intentions
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23. INTENTIONS
Islam attaches the utmost importance to intentions
(niyyah).
No action is acceptable to God purely on
the basis of its outer appearance. He accepts only
such actions as are performed with proper
intention, and rejects those performed with ill
intention.
Right
intention
is
the
moral
purposiveness, which underlies all actions
performed solely for God’s pleasure. One who acts
on such feelings will be rewarded by God in the
Hereafter.
Ill-intention, on the other hand, is a negative spur to
worldly attainment. Ostensibly religious acts, if
performed
for
worldly
gain
or
public
commendation, are in this sense ill intentioned. Any
fame, honour or popularity, which ensues from an
ill-intentioned act, is a hollow triumph and is
looked upon by the Almighty with extreme
disfavour.
Intention is rooted in man’s inner thinking and
feelings. A common man is unable to penetrate the
inner recesses of a person’s mind but God knows
