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Fatwa CenterDoing good deeds without intention
Question
In a Hadith it is said actions are but intentions, the rewards of deeds depend upon the intentions. Does this mean, any good action/deed we commit without first making intentions, become unacceptable? Explain in detail.
Answer
Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds; and may His blessings and peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon all his Family and Companions.
The intention has two different meanings.
The first one is sincerity, i.e. to seek the pleasure of Allah Alone.
The second is to distinguish between acts of worship, and customs and traditions; and also to distinguish between the acts of worship between having a bath for the intention of purifying oneself from major impurity (ghusl) and having a bath just to refresh oneself and to clean ones body from dirt.
The intention in both cases is a condition for getting the reward in obligatory and permissible acts.
There is no reward except with the intention of getting closer to Allah and fulfilling His order.
The Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam) said: "Indeed actions are judged by intentions." Reported by Bukhari and Muslim.
The Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam) further said: "You do not spend on anything with the intention of seeking Allah's pleasure, except that you will be rewarded for it. Bukhari and Muslim.
A person who performs an obligatory or permissible act will not get the reward except by seeking Allah's pleasure.
However, some of the people of knowledge are of the view that a person is rewarded for an action that benefits others even if he did not intend to seek the pleasure of Allah, but he will get a lesser reward than the having as having the intention.
Allah knows best.
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