Quran & Hadith on sincerity Of Intention to Allah in Islam

Intention is the core of every act in Islam. Some actions without intention are invalid.

This piece of text is about Sincerty (Ikhlas), its importance and value, according to Quran and Sunna.

Sincerity or (Ikhlas) is action and then perseverance on it is the highest station of love and servitude to Allah.

The sincerity of intention is one of the best deeds of the heart. By sincerity of intention Allah accepts deeds of the worshiper He does not accept.

In fact, Islam is all about sincerity of intention. Allah SWT says:

{وَمَا أُمِرُوا إلَّا لِيَعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ الدِّينَ} And they were not commanded except to worship Allah, [being] sincere to Him in religion, inclining to truth,

Quran 98:5

Quran Ayat about sincerity of intention

{قُلْ إنِّي أُمِرْتُ أَنْ أَعْبُدَ اللَّهَ مُخْلِصًا لَّهُ الدِّينَ} | Say, “I am commanded to worship Allah, being sincerely devoted to Him ˹alone˺.¹

{قُلِ اللَّهَ أَعْبُدُ مُخْلِصًا لَّهُ دِينِي} | Say, “It is ˹only˺ Allah that I worship, being sincere in my devotion to Him.²

Hadith on sincerity of intention to Allah

In these Hadees we can understant sincerity of intention from the teaching of the prophet.

The sincerity of intention is essential to Islam and one of its fundemental concepts. The prophet PBUH said: “Religion is sincerity, religion is sincerity (Al-Nasihah), religion is sincerity.” They said; “To whom, O Messenger of Allah?” He said: “To Allah, to His Book, to His Messenger, to the imams of the Muslims and to their common folk.”

إِنَّ الدِّينَ النَّصِيحَةُ إِنَّ الدِّينَ النَّصِيحَةُ إِنَّ الدِّينَ النَّصِيحَةُ ‏”‏ ‏.‏ قَالُوا لِمَنْ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَالَ ‏”‏ لِلَّهِ وَلِكِتَابِهِ وَلِرَسُولِهِ وَلأَئِمَّةِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ ³وَعَامَّتِهِمْ ‏”‏ ‏.‏

It was narrated that ‘Abdullah bin ‘Amr (RA) said: “It was said to the Messenger of Allah (SAW): ‘Which of the people is best?’ He said: ‘Everyone who is pure of heart and sincere in speech.’ They said: ‘Sincere in speech, we know what this is, but what is pure of heart?’ He said: ‘It is (the heart) that is pious and pure, with no sin, injustice, rancor or envy in it.’”

عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو، قَالَ قِيلَ لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ أَىُّ النَّاسِ أَفْضَلُ قَالَ ‏”‏ كُلُّ مَخْمُومِ الْقَلْبِ صَدُوقِ اللِّسَانِ ‏”‏ ‏.‏ قَالُوا صَدُوقُ اللِّسَانِ نَعْرِفُهُ فَمَا مَخْمُومُ الْقَلْبِ قَالَ ‏”‏ هُوَ التَّقِيُّ النَّقِيُّ لاَ إِثْمَ فِيهِ وَلاَ بَغْىَ وَلاَ غِلَّ وَلاَ حَسَدَ ‏”‏.‏ 4216⁴

And, we can not forget the prophet Hadith about intention in action and its importance.

‘Umar bin Al Khattab reported the Apostle of Allaah(ﷺ) as saying “Actions are to be judged only by intentions and a man will have only what he intended. When one’s emigration is to Allaah and His Apostle, his emigration is to Allaah and His Apostle but his emigration is to a worldly end at which he aims or to a woman whom he marries , his emigration is to that for which he emigrated.

يَقُولُ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ “‏ إِنَّمَا الأَعْمَالُ بِالنِّيَّاتِ وَإِنَّمَا لِكُلِّ امْرِئٍ مَا نَوَى فَمَنْ كَانَتْ هِجْرَتُهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ فَهِجْرَتُهُ ⁵إِلَى اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ وَمَنْ كَانَتْ هِجْرَتُهُ لِدُنْيَا يُصِيبُهَا أَوِ امْرَأَةٍ يَتَزَوَّجُهَا فَهِجْرَتُهُ إِلَى مَا هَاجَرَ إِلَيْهِ ‏”

1. Quran 93:11
2. Quran 93:14
3. Sunan an-Nasa’i 4199
4. Sunan Ibn Majah
5. Sunan Abi Dawud 2201