Hadith by topic

Hadith about intention, actions are judged by intentions

The hadith about intention (niyyah) and sincerity, each in Arabic with a plain English rendering, the narrator, the collection and number, and the grading. They begin with the hadith that opens Sahih al-Bukhari.

All 12 hadith on this page
  1. Actions are judged by intentions
  2. Allah looks at hearts
  3. Rewarded for a good deed only intended
  4. Sincerely asking for martyrdom
  5. Spending on your family is charity
  6. Even the food you put in your wife's mouth
  7. Those held back by an excuse
  8. The first three to be judged
  9. Allah does not need a partner
  10. Raised according to their intentions
  11. Two Muslims who meet with swords
  12. Jihad and intention

إِنَّمَا الْأَعْمَالُ بِالنِّيَّاتِ، وَإِنَّمَا لِكُلِّ امْرِئٍ مَا نَوَى، فَمَنْ كَانَتْ هِجْرَتُهُ إِلَى دُنْيَا يُصِيبُهَا أَوْ إِلَى امْرَأَةٍ يَنْكِحُهَا، فَهِجْرَتُهُ إِلَى مَا هَاجَرَ إِلَيْهِ

Actions are only by intentions, and each person has only what he intended. So whoever emigrated for some worldly thing he wanted, or a woman he wanted to marry, his emigration is for what he emigrated for.

Al-Bukhari placed this hadith first in his Sahih. In other chains it also says: whoever emigrated for Allah and His Messenger, his emigration is for Allah and His Messenger (Sahih Muslim 1907).

Narrated by Umar ibn al-Khattab · Sahih al-Bukhari 1; Sahih Muslim 1907 · Sahih (agreed upon by al-Bukhari and Muslim)

إِنَّ اللَّهَ لاَ يَنْظُرُ إِلَى صُوَرِكُمْ وَأَمْوَالِكُمْ وَلَكِنْ يَنْظُرُ إِلَى قُلُوبِكُمْ وَأَعْمَالِكُمْ

Allah does not look at your appearance or your wealth. He looks at your hearts and your deeds.

Narrated by Abu Hurayrah · Sahih Muslim 2564 · Sahih

إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَتَبَ الْحَسَنَاتِ وَالسَّيِّئَاتِ، ثُمَّ بَيَّنَ ذَلِكَ فَمَنْ هَمَّ بِحَسَنَةٍ فَلَمْ يَعْمَلْهَا كَتَبَهَا اللَّهُ لَهُ عِنْدَهُ حَسَنَةً كَامِلَةً، فَإِنْ هُوَ هَمَّ بِهَا فَعَمِلَهَا كَتَبَهَا اللَّهُ لَهُ عِنْدَهُ عَشْرَ حَسَنَاتٍ إِلَى سَبْعِمِائَةِ ضِعْفٍ إِلَى أَضْعَافٍ كَثِيرَةٍ، وَمَنْ هَمَّ بِسَيِّئَةٍ فَلَمْ يَعْمَلْهَا كَتَبَهَا اللَّهُ لَهُ عِنْدَهُ حَسَنَةً كَامِلَةً، فَإِنْ هُوَ هَمَّ بِهَا فَعَمِلَهَا كَتَبَهَا اللَّهُ لَهُ سَيِّئَةً وَاحِدَةً

Allah has written the good deeds and the bad deeds, and then made it clear. Whoever intends a good deed and does not do it, Allah writes it with Him as one complete good deed. If he intends it and does it, Allah writes it with Him as ten good deeds, up to seven hundred times, up to many times more. Whoever intends a bad deed and does not do it, Allah writes it with Him as one complete good deed. If he intends it and does it, Allah writes it as one bad deed.

Narrated by Abdullah ibn Abbas · Sahih al-Bukhari 6491; Sahih Muslim 131 · Sahih (agreed upon by al-Bukhari and Muslim)

مَنْ سَأَلَ اللَّهَ الشَّهَادَةَ بِصِدْقٍ بَلَّغَهُ اللَّهُ مَنَازِلَ الشُّهَدَاءِ وَإِنْ مَاتَ عَلَى فِرَاشِهِ

Whoever sincerely asks Allah for martyrdom, Allah will raise him to the ranks of the martyrs, even if he dies in his bed.

Narrated by Sahl ibn Hunayf · Sahih Muslim 1909 · Sahih

إِذَا أَنْفَقَ الرَّجُلُ عَلَى أَهْلِهِ يَحْتَسِبُهَا فَهُوَ لَهُ صَدَقَةٌ

When a man spends on his family hoping for the reward, it is charity for him.

Narrated by Abu Mas'ud al-Ansari · Sahih al-Bukhari 55; Sahih Muslim 1002 · Sahih (agreed upon by al-Bukhari and Muslim)

إِنَّكَ لَنْ تُنْفِقَ نَفَقَةً تَبْتَغِي بِهَا وَجْهَ اللَّهِ إِلَّا أُجِرْتَ عَلَيْهَا حَتَّى مَا تَجْعَلُ فِي فَمِ امْرَأَتِكَ

You will never spend anything seeking the pleasure of Allah except that you will be rewarded for it, even what you put in your wife's mouth.

Narrated by Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas · Sahih al-Bukhari 56; Sahih Muslim 1628 · Sahih (agreed upon by al-Bukhari and Muslim)

إِنَّ أَقْوَامًا بِالْمَدِينَةِ خَلْفَنَا، مَا سَلَكْنَا شِعْبًا وَلاَ وَادِيًا إِلاَّ وَهُمْ مَعَنَا فِيهِ، حَبَسَهُمُ الْعُذْرُ

(During an expedition he said:) There are people in Madinah behind us who were with us in every mountain pass and valley we crossed. Only an excuse held them back.

Sahih Muslim 1911 has the same from Jabir: "illness held them back", and "they share the reward with you".

Narrated by Anas ibn Malik · Sahih al-Bukhari 2839 · Sahih

إِنَّ أَوَّلَ النَّاسِ يُقْضَى يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ عَلَيْهِ رَجُلٌ اسْتُشْهِدَ فَأُتِيَ بِهِ فَعَرَّفَهُ نِعَمَهُ فَعَرَفَهَا قَالَ فَمَا عَمِلْتَ فِيهَا قَالَ قَاتَلْتُ فِيكَ حَتَّى اسْتُشْهِدْتُ، قَالَ كَذَبْتَ وَلَكِنَّكَ قَاتَلْتَ لأَنْ يُقَالَ جَرِيءٌ، فَقَدْ قِيلَ، ثُمَّ أُمِرَ بِهِ فَسُحِبَ عَلَى وَجْهِهِ حَتَّى أُلْقِيَ فِي النَّارِ وَرَجُلٌ تَعَلَّمَ الْعِلْمَ وَعَلَّمَهُ وَقَرَأَ الْقُرْآنَ فَأُتِيَ بِهِ فَعَرَّفَهُ نِعَمَهُ فَعَرَفَهَا قَالَ فَمَا عَمِلْتَ فِيهَا قَالَ تَعَلَّمْتُ الْعِلْمَ وَعَلَّمْتُهُ وَقَرَأْتُ فِيكَ الْقُرْآنَ، قَالَ كَذَبْتَ وَلَكِنَّكَ تَعَلَّمْتَ الْعِلْمَ لِيُقَالَ عَالِمٌ، وَقَرَأْتَ الْقُرْآنَ لِيُقَالَ هُوَ قَارِئٌ

The first of people to be judged on the Day of Resurrection is a man who was martyred. He will be brought, Allah will remind him of His blessings and he will acknowledge them. Allah will say: What did you do with them? He will say: I fought for You until I was martyred. He will say: You lie. You fought so that it would be said you are brave, and it was said. Then he will be ordered to be dragged on his face until he is thrown into the Fire. And a man who learned knowledge and taught it and recited the Quran. He will be brought, reminded of His blessings and will acknowledge them. Allah will say: What did you do with them? He will say: I learned knowledge and taught it and recited the Quran for You. He will say: You lie. You learned so that it would be said you are a scholar, and you recited so that it would be said he is a reciter.

The hadith goes on to the same end for him, and then for a rich man who gave so that he would be called generous.

Narrated by Abu Hurayrah · Sahih Muslim 1905 · Sahih

قَالَ اللَّهُ تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى أَنَا أَغْنَى الشُّرَكَاءِ عَنِ الشِّرْكِ مَنْ عَمِلَ عَمَلاً أَشْرَكَ فِيهِ مَعِي غَيْرِي تَرَكْتُهُ وَشِرْكَهُ

Allah, blessed and exalted is He, said: I am the One most free of need of any partner. Whoever does a deed in which he associates someone else with Me, I leave him and his association.

Narrated by Abu Hurayrah · Sahih Muslim 2985 · Sahih

يُخْسَفُ بِأَوَّلِهِمْ وَآخِرِهِمْ، ثُمَّ يُبْعَثُونَ عَلَى نِيَّاتِهِمْ

(An army will march on the Kaaba and the earth will swallow them. Aishah asked about those among them who were not of them. He said:) The first and last of them will be swallowed, then they will be raised according to their intentions.

Narrated by Aishah · Sahih al-Bukhari 2118; Sahih Muslim 2884 · Sahih (agreed upon by al-Bukhari and Muslim)

إِذَا الْتَقَى الْمُسْلِمَانِ بِسَيْفَيْهِمَا فَالْقَاتِلُ وَالْمَقْتُولُ فِي النَّارِ ... إِنَّهُ كَانَ حَرِيصًا عَلَى قَتْلِ صَاحِبِهِ

When two Muslims meet each other with their swords, the killer and the one killed are in the Fire. (I said: This is the killer, but what about the one killed? He said:) He was eager to kill his companion.

Narrated by Abu Bakrah · Sahih al-Bukhari 31; Sahih Muslim 2888 · Sahih (agreed upon by al-Bukhari and Muslim)

لاَ هِجْرَةَ بَعْدَ الْفَتْحِ وَلَكِنْ جِهَادٌ وَنِيَّةٌ، وَإِذَا اسْتُنْفِرْتُمْ فَانْفِرُوا

There is no emigration after the conquest of Makkah, but there is striving and intention. When you are called to go out, then go out.

Narrated by Abdullah ibn Abbas · Sahih al-Bukhari 2783; Sahih Muslim 1353 · Sahih (agreed upon by al-Bukhari and Muslim)

Weak sayings people share

These are often posted as hadith, but the hadith critics did not accept them as the Prophet's ﷺ words, or they are not found in the hadith books at all. Do not pass them on as hadith.

  • Weak

    "The intention of the believer is better than his deed."

    Where: At-Tabarani, al-Kabir, and al-Bayhaqi. Grade: weak in all its chains.

  • Not a hadith

    "Fixed spoken formulas of intention such as "nawaytu an usalliya..." (I intend to pray four rakat of Zuhr...)."

    Where: Later books of fiqh and prayer guides. Grade: not reported from the Prophet ﷺ or the Companions. The intention itself is required. Whether saying it aloud is good is a question of fiqh, covered in the guide below.

Arabic: the standard wording from the fawazahmed0 hadith-api dataset of the six books and the Muwatta, cut to the Prophet's ﷺ words. English: our own plain rendering. Words in brackets are the setting, not the hadith. Muslim numbers follow Abd al-Baqi, as on sunnah.com. Pending review by the scholars on our team.

Guide

What these hadith say, and how to live by them

Short answer: the best known hadith about intention is "Actions are only by intentions, and each person has only what he intended" (Sahih al-Bukhari 1, Sahih Muslim 1907), from Umar ibn al-Khattab. The scholars called it a third of Islam, because every deed is judged by it. Other hadith teach that Allah looks at hearts and deeds, not appearance (Sahih Muslim 2564), that a good deed you only intended is still written for you (Sahih al-Bukhari 6491), and that a deed done to be seen is rejected (Sahih Muslim 2985).

What these hadith teach

  • The same act can be worship or nothing. Food for your family, sleep and work become charity when done for Allah's sake (Bukhari 55, 56).
  • Intention can carry you where your body cannot. Those held back by illness shared the reward of the army, and whoever sincerely asks for martyrdom reaches its rank.
  • Showing off ruins deeds. The first three judged did great deeds for the wrong reason. Allah leaves a person to the partner he did it for.
  • Intention counts against you too. The one killed in a fight was eager to kill, so he shares the sin.

The intention for prayer, Hanafi first

All four schools agree that intention is a condition of the prayer, the fast and other acts of worship, and that its place is the heart: knowing which prayer you are standing for is enough. They differ on saying it with the tongue.

Hanafi position

The intention is in the heart, and that is what counts. Saying it aloud is not required and is not reported from the Prophet ﷺ. Later Hanafi books, such as al-Durr al-Mukhtar, call it good (mustahabb) to say it as well, to help the heart focus, but it must not be thought of as part of the prayer.

Other madhhabs
Shafi'i
Recommended to say it quietly just before the takbir, to help the heart, but only the intention in the heart is required.
Maliki
Allowed, but better left, since it was not the practice of the Prophet ﷺ, except for someone troubled by doubts (waswasa).
Hanbali
The later books of the school recommend saying it quietly. Ibn Taymiyyah and others in the school disliked it as something not reported.

The rulings on this page are pending review by the scholars on our team.

See also ihsan, worshipping Allah as though you see Him, and the hadith about seeking knowledge, where learning for the wrong reason is warned against.

Hadith on other topics

salah (prayer), charity (sadaqah), seeking knowledge, lying and truthfulness, tahajjud (the night prayer), kindness and mercy, patience (sabr), cleanliness and purity, marriage (nikah), parents and mothers, neighbours. Or see all hadith topics.

Questions

Good to know

What is the hadith about intention?

"Actions are only by intentions, and each person has only what he intended" (Sahih al-Bukhari 1, Sahih Muslim 1907), narrated by Umar ibn al-Khattab. It is the first hadith in Sahih al-Bukhari and in an-Nawawi's Forty Hadith.

Do you get rewarded for a good intention you could not act on?

Yes. "Whoever intends a good deed and does not do it, Allah writes it as one complete good deed" (Sahih al-Bukhari 6491, Sahih Muslim 131).

Is a bad intention a sin?

A bad deed you intend and then leave is written as a good deed if you leave it for Allah (Sahih al-Bukhari 6491). But a firm resolve that you act on, or try to act on, counts against you, as in the hadith of the two who meet with swords (Sahih al-Bukhari 31).

Do I have to say my niyyah out loud?

No. All four schools agree the intention is in the heart. Some later Hanafi, Shafi'i and Hanbali books call saying it quietly good to help focus; the Malikis prefer not to.

Where does "Allah does not look at your faces" come from?

Sahih Muslim 2564: "Allah does not look at your appearance or your wealth. He looks at your hearts and your deeds."