Intention and Sincere Action
Why do intentions matter so much in Islam?
Study the famous hadith 'actions are by intentions', learn what sincerity (ikhlas) means, and discover how intention can turn everyday activities into meaningful acts while keeping actions themselves good.
Why it matters
Two people give the same donation. One gives to help; the other gives to be praised. From the outside, the actions look identical. Are they equal?
Islamic teaching answers clearly: the inner intention shapes the value of an action. This lesson explores one of the most quoted hadith in Islamic scholarship.
The teaching
'The reward of deeds depends upon the intentions'
Imam al-Bukhari placed this hadith at the very beginning of his Sahih collection (number 1). The Prophet said that every person will have what they intended, and gave the example of people who migrated: those who moved for worldly gain or for marriage had that, and nothing more.
Many scholars regarded this hadith as one of the foundations of the religion, because it applies to almost every action a person takes.
Intention transforms the ordinary
An important consequence is that everyday, permitted activities (working, eating, sleeping, exercising) can become rewarded acts when done with a good intention, such as staying healthy in order to care for one's family and serve others.
The Qur'an describes the essence of religion in similar terms: people were commanded to worship God 'being sincere to Him in religion' (98:5).
Intention does not make a wrong action right
Scholars stress a necessary balance: a good intention does not justify a wrong action. Stealing to give to charity is still stealing. For an action to be good, both the intention and the action itself must be good.
Sincerity and showing off
Sincerity (ikhlas) means doing something for God alone, without seeking praise. The Prophet said that God does not look at people's appearance or wealth, but at their hearts and deeds (Sahih Muslim 2564).
This does not mean good deeds must always be hidden. Public good can inspire others. The question is the motive in the heart, which only the individual and God can fully know. For that reason, sincerity is something to examine in ourselves, not to judge in others.
From the Qur'an
Each passage shows the Arabic text, an attributed English translation, and our explanatory note, kept visually separate.
Arabic text
وَمَآ أُمِرُوٓاْ إِلَّا لِيَعۡبُدُواْ ٱللَّهَ مُخۡلِصِينَ لَهُ ٱلدِّينَ حُنَفَآءَ وَيُقِيمُواْ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَيُؤۡتُواْ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَۚ وَذَٰلِكَ دِينُ ٱلۡقَيِّمَةِ5
Translation · Saheeh International
5And they were not commanded except to worship Allah, [being] sincere to Him in religion, inclining to truth, and to establish prayer and to give zakah. And that is the correct religion
Explanatory note (our words, not part of the Qur'an)
Sincerity in worship is described as the core of the religion.
Arabic text
إِنَّمَا نُطۡعِمُكُمۡ لِوَجۡهِ ٱللَّهِ لَا نُرِيدُ مِنكُمۡ جَزَآءٗ وَلَا شُكُورًا9
Translation · Saheeh International
9[Saying], "We feed you only for the countenance of Allah. We wish not from you reward or gratitude
Explanatory note (our words, not part of the Qur'an)
An example of sincere intention: giving 'only for the countenance of Allah', seeking no reward or thanks.
Arabic text
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ لَا تُبۡطِلُواْ صَدَقَٰتِكُم بِٱلۡمَنِّ وَٱلۡأَذَىٰ كَٱلَّذِي يُنفِقُ مَالَهُۥ رِئَآءَ ٱلنَّاسِ وَلَا يُؤۡمِنُ بِٱللَّهِ وَٱلۡيَوۡمِ ٱلۡأٓخِرِۖ فَمَثَلُهُۥ كَمَثَلِ صَفۡوَانٍ عَلَيۡهِ تُرَابٞ فَأَصَابَهُۥ وَابِلٞ فَتَرَكَهُۥ صَلۡدٗاۖ لَّا يَقۡدِرُونَ عَلَىٰ شَيۡءٖ مِّمَّا كَسَبُواْۗ وَٱللَّهُ لَا يَهۡدِي ٱلۡقَوۡمَ ٱلۡكَٰفِرِينَ264
Translation · Saheeh International
264O you who have believed, do not invalidate your charities with reminders or injury as does one who spends his wealth [only] to be seen by the people and does not believe in Allah and the Last Day. His example is like that of a [large] smooth stone upon which is dust and is hit by a downpour that leaves it bare. They are unable [to keep] anything of what they have earned. And Allah does not guide the disbelieving people
Explanatory note (our words, not part of the Qur'an)
Charity done to be seen by people is compared to dust on a smooth stone, washed away by rain.
From the hadith
Hadith are reports of the Prophet Muhammad's words and actions. Each one below shows its collection, reference number and grading, with the authority that graded it.
Narrated 'Umar bin Al-Khattab:
I heard Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) saying, "The reward of deeds depends upon the intentions and every person will get the reward according to what he has intended. So whoever emigrated for worldly benefits or for a woman to marry, his emigration was for what he emigrated for."
Why it matters here
The foundational hadith on intention, placed first in Sahih al-Bukhari.
Source, grading and translation details
- Collection
- Sahih al-Bukhari, no. 1 (Book 1, Hadith 1)
- Numbering
- Muhammad Fu'ad 'Abd al-Baqi numbering, as used on sunnah.com
- Grade
- Sahih: Included in Sahih al-Bukhari, a collection accepted as authentic (sahih) by Sunni hadith scholarship
- Translation
- Muhammad Muhsin Khan (English translation as published on sunnah.com)
- Checked
- sunnah.com English dataset (offline copy in the `hadith` npm package v1.3.0): wording, number, in-book reference and grade, on 2026-10-09
Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:
Verily Allah does not look to your faces and your wealth but He looks to your heart and to your deeds.
Why it matters here
God looks at hearts and deeds, not appearance or wealth.
Source, grading and translation details
- Collection
- Sahih Muslim, no. 2564 c (Book 45, Hadith 42)
- Numbering
- Muhammad Fu'ad 'Abd al-Baqi numbering, as used on sunnah.com
- Grade
- Sahih: Included in Sahih Muslim, a collection accepted as authentic (sahih) by Sunni hadith scholarship
- Translation
- Abdul Hamid Siddiqui (English translation as published on sunnah.com)
- Checked
- sunnah.com English dataset (offline copy in the `hadith` npm package v1.3.0): wording, number, in-book reference and grade, on 2026-10-09
It is narrated on the authority of Tamim ad-Dari that the Prophet (ﷺ) said:
"The Religion is sincerity." We said, "To whom?" He said "To Allah, to His Book, To His Messenger, and to the leaders of the Muslims and their masses."
Why it matters here
'The Religion is sincerity': sincere goodwill towards God, His Book, His Messenger and all people.
Source, grading and translation details
- Collection
- Sahih Muslim, no. 55 a (Book 1, Hadith 103)
- Numbering
- Muhammad Fu'ad 'Abd al-Baqi numbering, as used on sunnah.com
- Grade
- Sahih: Included in Sahih Muslim, a collection accepted as authentic (sahih) by Sunni hadith scholarship
- Translation
- Abdul Hamid Siddiqui (English translation as published on sunnah.com)
- Checked
- sunnah.com English dataset (offline copy in the `hadith` npm package v1.3.0): wording, number, in-book reference and grade, on 2026-10-09
- Editorial note
- "Sincerity" translates nasihah, which also carries the sense of sincere goodwill and honest counsel.
Context and key terms
Arabic terms in this lesson (3)
Niyyah
نية
Intention
The purpose behind an action. In Islamic teaching, intention shapes the moral and spiritual value of what we do.
Ikhlas
إخلاص
Sincerity; purity of purpose
Doing something for God alone, free from showing off. It is also the name of Surah 112, which describes God's oneness.
'Ibadah
عبادة
Worship; devoted service
Worship in a broad sense. It includes formal rituals such as prayer, and any good action done sincerely for God's sake, such as honest work or caring for others.
Do I need to say my intention aloud?
Intention is located in the heart. Scholars of the different schools have discussed whether it is recommended to also voice it for certain acts of worship. For everyday actions, intention is simply the purpose you hold in mind.
About the migration in the hadith
The hadith refers to the migration (hijrah) of early Muslims from Mecca to Madinah, a major sacrifice. Even such a significant act was valued according to its intention.
Everyday example
Illustrative story (fictional)
Ibrahim's commute
Ibrahim spends nearly two hours a day commuting to a job he finds tiring. He used to resent every minute.
After learning this hadith, he started each journey by setting an intention: to provide honestly for his family, and to use the time well. He now listens to beneficial lectures, phones his mother on the way home, and gives up his seat when someone needs it. The commute is the same length; its meaning has changed.
Renewing intention does not change your circumstances, but it changes what they can become.
Activity
Sorting activity
Intention and action
For an action to be good, Islamic teaching requires both a good intention and a good action. Sort each example.
0 of 5 sorted
Knowledge check
Answer each question to see an explanation. You can retry as many times as you like; nothing is graded.
Reflection
Try it in practice
Renew your intention
- 1Each morning, choose one routine task and set a clear, good intention for it.
- 2Midway through the day, pause and check whether your motives have drifted.
- 3In the evening, ask whether anything you did was mainly for praise, without harsh self-judgement.
This is also available as an optional daily practice: Set a morning intention.
Sources and further reading
Primary sources cited
- Qur'an 98:5 (Surah Al-Bayyinah). Arabic: King Fahd Complex Uthmani text; translation: Saheeh International.
- Qur'an 76:9 (Surah Al-Insan). Arabic: King Fahd Complex Uthmani text; translation: Saheeh International.
- Qur'an 2:264 (Surah Al-Baqarah). Arabic: King Fahd Complex Uthmani text; translation: Saheeh International.
- Sahih al-Bukhari 1, graded Sahih (Sahih collection). Sunnah.com (opens in a new tab)
- Sahih Muslim 2564 c, graded Sahih (Sahih collection). Sunnah.com (opens in a new tab)
- Sahih Muslim 55 a, graded Sahih (Sahih collection). Sunnah.com (opens in a new tab)
Further reading
- Sahih al-Bukhari 1 (opens in a new tab) · Sunnah.com
The hadith on intentions with the Arabic text.
- An-Nawawi's Forty Hadith, hadith 1 (opens in a new tab) · Sunnah.com
Imam an-Nawawi also began his famous collection with this hadith.
This lesson is educational and is not a fatwa (religious ruling). For personal religious questions, please consult a qualified scholar you trust. How we source and review lessons.
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