عَنْ أَميرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ عُمرَ بنِ الْخَطَّابِ رضي اللّه عنه، قال: سمعْتُ رسُولَ اللّه صَلّى اللّهُ عَلَيْهِ وسَلَّم يقُولُ «إنَّما الأَعمالُ بالنِّيَّات، وإِنَّمَا لِكُلِّ امرئٍ مَا نَوَى، فمنْ كانَتْ هجْرَتُهُ إِلَى اللّهِ ورَسُولِهِ فهجرتُه إلى اللّهِ ورسُولِهِ، ومنْ كانتْ هجْرَتُه لدُنْيَا يُصيبُها، أَو امرَأَةٍ يَنْكحُها فهجْرَتُهُ إلى ما هَاجَر إليْهِ» متَّفَقٌ عليه.
On the authority of the Commander of the Faithful, Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) say: "Actions are judged by their intentions, and every person shall have only what they intended. So whoever emigrated for the sake of Allah and His Messenger, then his emigration is for Allah and His Messenger. And whoever emigrated for worldly gain or to marry a woman, then his emigration is for whatever he emigrated for." Agreed upon (narrated by al-Bukhari and Muslim).
الشرح · explanation
إنّما الأعمال بالنيّات: أي إنّما *صحة*ُ الأعمال بالنيّات. المراد بالأعمال هنا: أعمالُ الجوارح كلها حتّى إنّ الأقوال تدخل في ذلك؛ فإنها عمل اللسان، وهو من الجوارح.
"Actions are judged by their intentions" means that the validity of actions depends on their intentions. What is meant by "actions" here refers to all physical deeds, including speech, for it is the action of the tongue, which is one of the limbs.
الدروس · lessons
المسلم يضاعَف له الثواب على أكله وشربه، وقيامه وقعوده، ونومه ويقظته، على حسب نيّته. النيّة بالمعنى الذي ذكره الفقهاء هي تمييز العبادات عن العادات، وتمييز العبادات بعضها عن بعض. النيّة محلها القلب. الإخلاص للّه تعالى في العمل شرط من شروط قبوله، فإنّ اللّه تعالى لا يقبل من العمل إلا ما كان خالصًا لوجهه.
A Muslim receives multiplied reward for eating, drinking, standing, sitting, sleeping, and waking, according to his intention. Intention, as defined by the jurists, is the distinction between acts of worship and customary habits, and the distinction between different acts of worship. The place of intention is the heart. Sincerity to Allah the Most High in one's deeds is a condition for their acceptance, for Allah does not accept any deed unless it is done purely for His sake.