It is narrated that the Prophet (sws) said: "[The reward1 of pious2] deeds is dependent only upon intentions3 [of those from whom they emanate]. Every person shall only get what he actually intended [while doing a pious deed4].
Thus, whoever actually migrates5 towards [another land for] God and His Prophet6, his migration shall be [counted in the Hereafter, as one] towards God and His Prophet [and shall, thus, follow great rewards]: while, whoever migrates towards [another land for] a worldly gain which he wants to earn or a woman. whom he wants to marry, his migration shall be [counted in the Hereafter, as one] towards what he actually intended it for [and shall, thus, carry no weight in the eyes of God]".
NOTES ON THE TEXT OF THE NARRATIVE: This narrative or a part of it. with minor variations, has been reported in: Bukhari (narrative no. 1. 54, 2392, 3685. 4783, 6311 and 6553). Muslim (narrative no. 1907). Tirmidhi (narrative no. 1647), Nasa (narrative no. 75, 3437 and 3794), Abu Da ud (narrative no. 2201), Ibn Majah (narrative no. 4227), Ahmad Ibn Hanbal (narrative no. 168 and 300), Ibn Khuzavmah (narrative no. 142, 143 and 455), Ibn Hibban (narrative no. 388, 389 and 4868), Buyhaqi (narrative no. 181, 182, 972, 1321, 2087, 7162, 7897, 8774, 12686 and 14773), and Hamaydi (narrative no. 28). The preferred text is the one reported in Bukhari narrative no. 6311, except where otherwise specified.
In Bukhari ' narrative no. 6311 the opening sentence has been reported as: (Deeds are dependent only upon intention). Our preferred sentence (Deeds are dependent only upon intentions) has been reported in Bukhari narrative no. 1. Similarly, the sentence (Each man shall only get what he actually intended) - as reported in Bukhari's narrative no. 1 - has been rendered as (Man shall only get that, which he actually intended).
1. It is, in fact, the promised rewards in the Hereafter for pious deeds that is discussed in this narrative. This fact is further elaborated by the clarification: "Man shall only get that which he actually intended."
2. It is only the pious deeds that are under consideration in this narrative.
3. Niyyah (intention) does not refer to any utterances of the tongue. On the contrary, it refers to a person's hidden motives behind a particular act.
4. A person may do a pious deed to show his piety to others or to be known in his friends as a pious individual or to get any other worldly or immediate benefit. This statement implies that it is not merely doing good deeds which qualifies a person for rewards in the Hereafter: it is, in fact, good deeds performed solely for God's pleasure that shall have any weight on that Day.
5. It seems that the reported saying relates to the time when the Qur'an had directed the Muslims residing in Makkah to migrate to Madinah.
6. A prophet of God is, in fact. God's representative on earth. A prophet of God sent in a particular people is the sole source of knowledge of God's directives and likes and dislikes for that people. Thus, in matters of the shari'ah true piety emanates from obedience to the prophet of God. The words "for God and His Prophet" actually imply that the "good deed" should he done for the pleasure of God and according to the directives of His Prophet (sws).
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