Islam is a religion that emphasizes the importance of intention. In order for any deed to be considered as an act of worship, it must be done with sincere intention. This is known as niyyah in Arabic. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "Actions are judged according to their intentions." This means that the true worth of any action is based on the intention behind it.

Why intention is important?

The reason why Islam places so much emphasis on intention is that It is the key that opens the door to Paradise.

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "The journey of my Umrah is an act of worship, and the food I take is from the provision of Paradise." This shows us how important it is to have pure intentions when performing any deed, big or small.

Examples of Intention

Following are the examples according to the Islamic point of view for “Intention”. We can understand the significance of Intention in Islam by going through this conveniently.

Example # 1

One of the best examples of this was demonstrated by the Prophet Muhammad himself. Even though he was a great statesman, his true greatness lay in his sincere intentions and actions. When he went for Umrah, he left all his political affairs behind and focused only on worshipping Allah Almighty. Similarly, we should try to purify our intentions and make them sincere when performing Umrah. Without pure intentions, Umrah loses its true value and becomes just another journey.

In Islam, intention is defined as a thought or resolve to do something in the future (e.g., Umrah). It is not the same as desire or wishful thinking because it implies an action that will be performed later. Due to this, intention considers as a key part in terms of before doing any type of action if it is good we are rewarded with ‘’ajar’’ and if it is from the bad intention we are given ‘’gunah’’ by Allah (SWT). 

Example # 2

Another great example is if a person may intend to perform Umrah but may not actually do so. On the other hand, a person who has made the intention to perform Umrah and has taken all the necessary steps (e.g., bought tickets, made arrangements, etc.) is considered to have already performed.

Example # 3

The intention is also not the same as saying the words of the prayer. It is possible for a person to say the words of the prayer without having any sincere intentions behind it. For example, a person may be reciting the Shahadah (testimony of faith) but his heart may not be in it.

Example # 4

It is also important to note that the intention does not have to be spoken. It can be a silent thought or resolve in the heart.

One of the best ways to ensure that our intentions are pure is by making sure that our deeds are in accordance with the Sunnah (teachings) of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).

How to keep your intentions pure

There are a few things we can do to make sure our intentions remain pure:

• Make sure our motives for performing Umrah are good and noble
• Do not perform Umrah or any other deed out of habit or compulsion
• Be mindful of what we say and how we say it
• Check our hearts regularly to make sure they are free from hatred, envy, and malice.

These are just a few ways that we can keep our intentions pure. By following them, we can ensure that all our deeds – big or small – are done with sincerity and purity of heart. May Allah Almighty help us to do so. Ameen!​

The intention in Islam is the thought or resolve to do something.

Conclusion

Islam places a heavy emphasis on intention. In order for any deed to be considered as an act of worship, it must be done with sincere intention. Umrah is no exception. Umrah loses its true value and becomes just another journey if the intentions are not pure.

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