Explanation of the Hadith: (Actions are only by intentions . . .)

The Shaykh : I will say: There is the well-known hadith with which Imam al-Bukhari opens his Sahih, which is the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): Many people know this hadith by its wording, and they may have seen it as I recited it to you just now, but they do not understand the meaning of its first phrase: Why? Because we often ask, or without asking we direct, and we say, "My brother, this action you are doing, or this speech you are uttering, this is not a righteous action." What is the answer? He tells you, "My brother, the Messenger said: My intention is good, my intention is righteous." So what is the meaning of the hadith? Does the hadith mean: [Actions are only by] righteous intentions? Or does the meaning

The Shaykh : of the hadith mean: Righteous actions are only by righteous intentions? This is the meaning, and this is what the complete hadith explains: The intended meaning here is migration in the cause of Allah, meaning: going out for jihad in the cause of Allah and to meet the enemies of Allah. So whoever goes out in the cause of Allah, meaning: whoever goes out for jihad in the cause of Allah and his intention is righteous, this is the one who is rewarded. As for the one whose action is not righteous, but his intention is righteous, that is not sufficient. Likewise, the opposite is not sufficient: that his action is righteous, which is what people understand, but his intention is not righteous. So the hadith gives us two opposing conditions, as is required in a righteous action: a righteous intention. Likewise, a righteous action is required for a righteous intention. So one does not suffice without the other. Many people today, you hear them swear by their fathers, saying to you, "My brother, my intention is good." And perhaps you find a person who comes to a grave and prays at the grave of a Prophet, a wali (close friend of Allah), or a righteous person, or the like. You forbid him from doing that, and he says, "I do not intend to worship it, I do not intend to direct my prayer to it." So what do you intend? I intend to seek nearness to Allah through him (tawassul). Well, your coming to this grave, even if we accept that the intention is righteous, your coming is an action. Is it a righteous action? The answer is no; because the Messenger (peace be upon him) used to say: And from prayer is supplication. Indeed, supplication is worship, as he (peace and blessings be upon him) said, and in another hadith, but its chain is weak: So directing supplication to the grave is like directing prayer to it; it is an unrighteous action. And the fact that the intention is righteous does not excuse this unrighteous action, if we accept that the intention is righteous. So for our actions to be righteous, they must conform to the Shari'ah. To this, our Lord (Mighty and Majestic) pointed in the Noble Qur'an: The scholars of tafsir said: A righteous action is what conforms to the Sunnah meaning: the sincerity of worship to Allah. And in conclusion, I say: When the Muslims return to beneficial knowledge and then to righteous action, then at that time they will have laid the foundation for the establishment of the Islamic society and the realization of establishing the Muslim state. Otherwise, without that, there is no way to this establishment that we are obligated to carry out. And the Muslims will remain, as we said just now, working and moving, but on the military system: "Stay in your place and move around." They will not advance; because they have not taken the means of success. All these means are gathered in two words: beneficial knowledge and righteous action. Now, bring what you have of questions.

The questioner : ... .

The Shaykh : May Allah welcome you

The questioner: Peace be upon you.