What is the meaning of the hadith, “Actions are only by intentions”? And pointing out the mistakes of some who cite it in places where it does not apply?

The Shaykh : The hadith: . The question: Explain the hadith and clarify how intention is coupled with action. We observe that many Muslims today distort the meaning of the hadith from the side of having good intentions while their actions contradict the Shari'ah, explicitly stating: ; so what is the answer?
It seems the questioner wants to ask about an issue in which many Muslims actually err. That is when one of them comes with an action that is not prescribed, and when he is informed and warned about this action and that it is not prescribed, he immediately says: “My brother, , my intention is good.” Citing this hadith in this context is a mistake. Let us give a clear example: A man, for instance, prays at a time when it is disliked. You warn him and say to him: “My brother, prayer is prohibited at this time.” He says to you: “My intention is good; I am not intending to pray to the sun or for any other reason.” A second example: A person comes to a grave and prays there seeking blessing from a Prophet or a wali (close friend of Allah) or the like. It is said to him: “My brother, it is not permissible to pray at a grave.” He says to you: “My intention is good; it is not my intention to worship the owner of the grave; I am praying to Allah (Mighty and Majestic).” A third and final example: A person imitates the disbelievers by putting a hat on his head. He is told that this imitation of the disbelievers is wrong. He says to you: “My brother, , I am not intending to imitate the disbelievers, but what am I intending?” He says to you, for example: “It is for the sunburn, or the sun harms me, or something like that.” Some of them may argue, due to their great ignorance, with a hadith that they distort because of their ignorance of the hadith. They argue and say, “The criterion is what is in the heart,” and Allah (Mighty and Majestic) says, and the Messenger (peace be upon him) says: . They argue with the word “heart” and say: “And my heart is good. If you see me wearing a hat, it does not mean that I love the disbelievers. No, if you see me praying at a grave, it does not mean that I exalt the owner of the grave, if, if, and so on.” The response to this, regarding the other hadith and regarding the hadith in question, which is: , is that the hadith is: . It has a continuation. If we keep this continuation in mind, we clarify the mistake of the one who cites the hadith. The continuation is: “But He looks at your hearts.” This is added to that, and He said: . It is not that He looks only at the hearts, but also at the actions .
So, actions must be pure like the hearts. The rectification of the heart does not serve as an excuse for these defective actions. It is necessary for both the heart and the action to be sound. Therefore, he (peace and blessings be upon him) said in the famous hadith: . We return to the hadith: . The meaning of the hadith is: “Righteous actions are only by righteous intentions.” This is the meaning of the hadith. It does not mean that any action, even if it is defective or prohibited, becomes righteous if the intention is righteous. If the action is prohibited and the intention is righteous, the bad action does not turn into a good one. Rather, the truth is that this hadith is like an explanation or support for the saying of Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He): . The scholars of tafsir (Qur'anic exegesis) said that this verse is evidence that an action is not accepted unless two conditions are met in it. The first is that it be righteous, and righteousness is only achieved by conforming to the Sunnah, as we have mentioned repeatedly.
The other condition is that it be sincere for the sake of Allah. The accepted action meets two conditions: the first is that it conforms to the Sunnah, and the second is that it be sincere for the sake of Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He). This hadith: is support for this verse. Its meaning, in brief, is: “Righteous actions are only by righteous intentions.” If one of the conditions is lacking, it is not a righteous action. Righteous actions are only by righteous intentions. If the intention is not righteous, the action is defective. And conversely, if the intention is righteous but the action is not righteous—that is, it does not conform to the Book and the Sunnah—it is not accepted by Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He). Therefore, it is not permissible to cite his (peace be upon him) saying, “Righteous actions are only by righteous intentions,” to justify a defective action by claiming that the intention is righteous. A defective action never becomes righteous merely because the intention is righteous. It is necessary for both the intention and the action to be sound. This is the intended meaning of the hadith: . The evidence for this is also in the hadith: . The hijrah intended here is traveling to the Messenger for jihad in the cause of Allah. It is as if he is saying: “Whoever’s jihad is in the cause of Allah, it is so.” Jihad is a righteous action, so he said: . This is the corruption of the intention. . So, the hadith indicates the necessity of meeting the two conditions: a righteous action, like hijrah in the cause of Allah, and a righteous intention, which is sincerity for Allah. One does not seek worldly gain through his hijrah, or his knowledge, or his recitation, or anything else. He only seeks the pleasure of Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He) behind that. So: ; that is, righteous actions are only accepted by Allah through righteous intentions. This is sufficient, and praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds.