It is the statement which Umar ibn Al-Khattab began one of his khutbahs with. It is the statement which both Imam Bukhari and Imam Muslim began their collections of saheeh hadeeth with. It is that same statement which almost all the scholars, both past and present, begin writing their books with.
The pivotal concept that Muhammed (SAW) described so succinctly (the interpretation of which) is…
“Surely, all actions are driven by intentions, and, verily, man shall have what he intended.”
Sh. Salih As-Sadlan comments on the word niyyah and says:
Some say that it comes from the word al-nawa which means distance, as if the intention for something implies seeking something with purpose and resolve. Something that one cannot reach due to its distance. Hence, this intention becomes the means by which one achieves it.
Sh. Jamaluddin Zarabozo continues on to comment saying:
It is not just a thought that comes to one’s mind, but it is a determination, want, and aspiration to do something. Therefore, if one has the intention or niyyah to do something, it means that he will do it… as long as he does not change his intention.
The power of intentions is so immense that it is often regarded as the determining factor in the difference between the gold medal winner versus the silver medal in Olympics, the successful entrepreneur versus the failure in business, and, even in Islam, the person who enters Jannah because she did it for Allah versus the person who enters the Fire because he did it for the popularity of his name.
Many people live their lives without intentions. Some hope that things will just come their way. Others just follow what someone else wants them to do. They get overwhelmed with the amount of work they’re expected to accomplish. Their lives become cluttered with things they don’t really want to do. Time passes by and the things they really want to do never get done. They lose focus on their “wants” and goals, eventually losing hope in their dreams and aspirations. Motivation becomes some what of a joke, and life becomes negative.
However, for a person who has “wants” and desires, life is a journey, an adventure. For that person, you, your goals are clear. You know exactly what you want to accomplish. You may not know exactly how you are going to get what you want, but you still make dua’ for it often, clearly and specifically, stating exactly what you want and when you want it by, knowing that Allah will only grant you the best.
