On Intention (Al-Niyyah)

Niyyah is the spirit of every action. The stronger the niyyah, the better the action. Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) is reported to have taught the following ontological principle:

مَا ضَعُفَ بَدَنٌ عَمَّا قَوِيَتْ عَلَيْهِ النِّيَّةُ

A body does not become weak in that for which the intention is strong1

Intending to do Wudu, which is a means of acquiring inner beauty and light, must be motivated by a strong and fervent aspiration and determination in an individual to turn beautiful and radiant. If one is determined for such a change, one would strictly observe its etiquette and take every action seriously. In the beautiful words of the Qur’an, there are a people who constantly love and do not simply intend to purify themselves: ‘…Therein are men who constantly love to purify themselves (fihi rijalun yuhibbuna an yatatahharu)…’ (9:108). If there is love for self-purification, then the act of self-purification will appear in a better form.

Ayatullah Husayn al-Mazahiri (b. 1934) in one of his speeches where he mentions the importance of being constantly in the state of Wudhu’, is reported to have said:

شخصی نقل می کرد شبی در خدمت يکی از بزر گان و علما بودم. او مريض شده بود. ولی هشت مرتبه برای تطهير رفت و در حاليکه هوا بسيار سرد بود. پس از تطهير با آب سرد وضو می گرفت و بدون وضو نخوابيد.

A person once narrated that one night I was in the presence of one of the great scholars. He had turned ill. However, he went to purify himself eight times while the weather was extremely cold. After washing himself, he would do Wudhu’ with cold water and did not sleep without Wudhu’2

This incident reveals a firm determination on the part of the said eminent scholar to always be armed with the shield of purity, which is a protection against the Satan, the sworn enemy of human beings.

Therefore, the phenomenon of niyyah is not simply a state of mind, but a driving force that results in action. And such a force is a natural outcome of one’s character and disposition.

The Holy Qur’an says:

قُلْ كُلٌّ يَعْمَلُ عَلَىٰ شَاكِلَتِهِ فَرَبُّكُمْ أَعْلَمُ بِمَنْ هُوَ أَهْدَىٰ سَبِيلًا

Say, ‘Everyone acts according to his character. Your Lord knows best who is better guided with regard to the way.’ (Surah al-Israa’, 17:84).

Commenting on this verse, Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) is reported to have defined ‘ala shakilati-hi (according to his character) as ‘ala niyyatihi (according to his intention).3

The Concept Of Isbagh Al-Wudhu’

If one truly intends to transform one’s heart and beautify it, one must perform what is known in the holy narrations of the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) as isbagh al-Wudhu’ (the perfecting of Wudhu’). The Holy Prophet (S) is reported to have said to his close companion Abu Dharr:

يَا أَبَا ذَرٍّ إِسْبَاغُ الْوُضُوْءِ عَلىَ الْمَكَارِهِ مِنَ الْكَفَّارَاتِ

O Abu Dharr, perfecting ablution (isbagh al-Wudhu’) during difficulties is from those things that expiate sins.4

The Holy Prophet (S) is again reported to have said:

بُنِيَت الصَّلاَةُ عَلىَ أَرْبَعَةِ أَسْهُمٍ: سَهْمُ إِسْبَاغِ الْوُضُوْءِ، وَسَهْمٌ لِلرُّكُوْعِ، وَسَهْمٌ لِلسُّجُوْدِ، وَسَهْمٌ لِلْخُشُوْعِ

Prayer is built on four parts: a part for the perfecting of Wudhu’ (isbagh al- Wudhu’), a part for bending down in prayer, a part for prostration, and a part for humility.5

The Holy Prophet (S) is reported to have said to Anas:

يَا اَنَسُ أَسْبِغِ الْوُضُوءَ تَمُرُّ عَلَى الصِّرَاطِ مَرَّ السَّحَابِ

O Anas, perform Wudhu’ perfectly (asbigh al-Wudhu’) and you will pass over the [straight] path the way the cloud passes.6

Imam Muhammad al-Baqir (‘a) is reported to have said:

ثَلَاثٌ كَفَّارَاتٌ: إِسْبَاغُ الْوُضُوءِ بِالسَّبَرَاتِ، وَالْمَشْيُ بِاللَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ إِلَى الصَّلَاةِ، وَالْمُحَافَظَةُ عَلَى الْجَمَاعَاتِ

Three things expiate sins: performing Wudhu’ perfectly (isbagh al-Wudhu’) during extreme cold, walking towards prayer during the day and the night, and adhering to congregational prayers.7

Explaining the literal meaning of the trilateral root sin-ba’-ghayn, of al- isbagh, Ibn Faris in his etymological lexicon Mu‘jam Maqayis al-Lughah says:

أصل واحد يدلّ على تمام الشيء وكماله، يقال: أَسْبَغْتُ الأَمْرَ، وأَسْبَغَ فُلاَنٌ وُضُوْءَهُ

It is a single origin that signifies the completeness and perfection of a thing. It is said: ‘asbaghtu al-amr (I did the thing perfectly)’ and ‘asbagha fulan Wudhu’ahu (So and so performed his ablution perfectly)…’8

Describing the legislative connotation of the term isbagh al-Wudhu’, ‘Allamah Majlisi (d. 1110/1698) in his Bihar al-Anwar says:

إسباغ الوضوء كماله والسعي في إيصال الماء إلى أجزاء الأعضاء ورعاية الآداب والمستحبات فيه من الأدعية وغيرها

Isbagh al-Wudhu’ is its perfection, struggling to make water reach the parts of the limbs, observing its etiquettes and supererogatory acts like supplications, etc…9

The Scale Of Sincerity

The most fundamental element of intention is sincerity (ikhlas), which actually determines the quality of the action. If our ablutions bear sincere intentions (al-niyyat al-khalisah) they will shine with the brilliance of monotheism and really instil light and beauty. If our sole object is to attain the proximity of Allah, we will truly benefit from the ample benefits of Wudhu’. But if our intentions are mixed with the slightest form of self- interest, ostentation, etc. they will have little or no desired effect. This also applies to every other act of worship. We must try to unite with the following verse of the Holy Qur’an:

قُلْ إِنَّ صَلَاتِي وَنُسُكِي وَمَحْيَايَ وَمَمَاتِي لِلهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ

Say, surely my prayer and my devotion and my life and my death are (all) for Allah, the Lord of the worlds. (Suran al-An’aam, 6:162).

Shaykh ‘Ali Muhiti in his Sirat-e Suluk, quotes his mentor Ayatullah Hasan Zadeh Amuli as follows:

روزی در محفل درس حضرت استاد (دام عزه) که از خرمن فضلشان بهره‌مند می‌شديم، فرمودند:((اساتيد ما می‌فرمودند: در طهارت دقت داشته باشيد، قدمی عاشقانه برداريد و صادقانه بياييد تا اينها را بچشيد، چند بار که شکار کنيد به فهم اينها کمکم می کند، يک جهش علمی پديد می‌آيد و انسان می‌شود مصداق ((إنّ صَلاتِی وَ نُسُکیِ وَمَحْيَایَ وَمَمَاتِی للهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ)) وقف خالص الهی می‌شود به سود و گداز می‌آيد و افاضات و اشاراقات نصيبش می‌شود)).

One day in the class of Hadrat Ustad (perpetual is his esteem), from whom we would benefit, he [Ayatullah Hasan Zadeh Amuli] said: Our teachers would say: During purification be careful and take an amorously loving step and approach [it] truthfully so that you can experience its flavour; if you do that a number of times, it would assist you in understanding it, and a leap of knowledge would come about and the human being would transform to an example of ‘Say, surely my prayer and my devotion and my life and my death are (all) for Allah, the Lord of the worlds’ (6:162). He would sincerely be at the service of God, turn [spiritually] ablaze, and be availed with divine effusions and illuminations.10

If our intentions are pure in all our actions, we will enjoy what many are deprived of. The Holy Prophet (S) is reported to have said:

مَنْ أَخْلَصَ للهِ أرْبَعِيْنَ يَوْمًا فَجَّرَ اللهُ يَنَابِيْعَ الْحِكْمَةَ مِنْ قَلْبِهِ عَلَى لِسَانِهِ

Whosoever is wholly devoted to Allah for forty days, Allah would make well-springs of wisdom gush forth from his heart to his tongue.11

Bearing and securing a sincere intention (al-niyyah al-khalisah) however, is not all that easy, for it entails great struggle against the evil-inviting self and its inclinations.

Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) is reported to have said:

وَصَاحِبُ النِّيَّةِ الْخَالِصَةِ نَفْسُهُ وَهَوَاهُ مَعَهُ مَقْهُوْرَانِ تَحْتَ سُلْطَانِ تَعْظِيْمِ اللهِ وَالْحَياَءِ مِنْهُ

And one who possesses a pure intention, his ego and desire are dominated under the sovereignty of venerating Allah and observing shyness before Him.12

Mulla Sadra (d. 1050/1640) in his al-Mabda’ wa al-Ma‘ad mentions different groups of worshippers. At one place he says:

وليعلم أن النية الخالصة عن شوب الأغراض النفسانية مطلقا لا يمكن أن تيسر إلا للطائفة الأخيرة أي الحكماء

And it must be known that intention that is absolutely purified from the taint of the desires of the self, cannot be easily possible except for the ultimate group: the men of wisdom.13

Mulla Muhammad Salih al-Mazandarani (d. 1080/1669-70) in his Sharh Usul al-Kafi says:

إنّ النية الخالصة يتوقف على قلع القلب عن حب الدنيا ونزعه عن الميل إلى ما سوى الله تعالى، وهذا أشق أشياء على النفس…

…Indeed a pure intention is subject to uprooting the heart from the love of the world and detaching it from being inclined to other than Allah, and this is the most difficult thing on the soul…14

Shaykh al-Najafi al-Isfahani (d. 1332) in his Isharat Imaniyyah while explaining the prophetic tradition ‘The intention of a believer is better than his action and the intention of a disbeliever is more evil than his action, and every doer acts according to his intention’, mentions nine variable interpretations, the seventh of which is as follows:

السابع: أنّ النية الخالصة أصعب الأعمال وأحمزها والعمل أسهل منها

Seven: Indeed, a pure intention is the most difficult and bitter of actions, while its performance is easier.15

Kinds Of Intention

Authoritative scholars have tackled an important narration with regard to the sincerity of one’s intention in any kind of worship: Amir al-Mu’minin (‘a) is reported to have said:

إِنَّ قَوْمًا عَبَدُوا اللهَ رَغْبَةً فَتِلْكَ عِبَادَةُ التُّجَّارِ، وَإنَّ قَوْمًا عَبَدُوا اللهَ رَهْبَةً فَتِلْكَ عِبَادَةُ الْعَبِيْدِ، وَإِنَّ قَوْمًا عَبَدُوْا اللهَ شُكْرًا فَتِلْكَ عِبَادَةُ الْأَحْرَارِ وَهِيَ أَفْضَلُ الْعِبَادَةِ

Indeed, a people worship Allah to acquire something, and that is the worship of merchants; and indeed, a people worship Allah out of fear, and that is the worship of slaves; and indeed a people worship Allah out of a feeling of thankfulness, and that is the worship of free men, and it is the best kind of worship.16

Hence there are three kinds of worshippers:

• Those who worship Allah seeking divine reward.

• Those who worship Allah in fear of Hell-Fire

• Those who worship Allah because He is worthy of worship

If carefully understood, one will realise that the abovementioned tradition does not say that the first two kinds of worship are not reckoned as correct worship but rather that the third kind is superior and better (afdal) than the first two. Hence, although the first two kinds of worship are acceptable levels of worship, the third is the highest in degree of excellence and the most meritorious.

The esteemed Shaykh Baha’i (d. 1031/1622) has tackled this important hadith in some of his authoritative works. In the thirty-seventh hadith of his work al-Arba‘in, for example, while discussing a tradition17 that determines the best of actions (afdal al-a‘mal), he opens a discourse and asks whether the motives of seeking divine reward and protection from divine punishment can invalidate one’s action or not, and concludes that although such motives do not invalidate one’s worship, they are nowhere near the third kind of worship which is by far the best.

He ratifies his opinion by quoting a hadith from Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) similar to the hadith of Amir al-Mu’minin (‘a). He says:

والأولى أن يستدل على ذلك المطلب بما رواه الشيخ الجليل محمد بن يعقوب في الكافي بطريق حسن عن هارون بن خارجة عن الإمام أبي عبد الله جعفر بن محمد الصادق (عليه السلام) قال: اَلْعُبَّادُ ثَلاَثَةٌ: قَوْمٌ عَبَدُوا اللهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ خَوْفًا فَتِلْكَ عِبَادَةُ الْعَبِيْدِ، وَقَوْمٌ عَبَدُوا اللهَ تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى طَلَبَ الثَّوَابِ فَتِلْكَ عِبَادَةُ الْاُجَرَاءِ، وَقَوْمٌ عَبَدُوا اللهَ عَزَ وَجَلَّ حُبَّا لَهُ فَتِلْكَ عِبَادَةُ الْأَحْرَارِ، وَهِيَ أفْضَلُ الْعِبَادَةِ.

فإن قوله عليه السلام "وهي أفضل العبادة" يعطي أن العبادة على الوجهين السابقين لا يخلو من فضل أيضا فتكون صحيحة وهو المطلوب

It is more appropriate to prove the matter [of the validity of the first two kinds of worship] with what the majestic Shaykh Muhammad ibn Ya‘qub narrated in al-Kafi18 with a sound chain of narration from Harun ibn Kharijah from Imam Abu ‘Abdillah Ja‘far ibn Muhammad al-Sadiq (‘a), who said:

Servants of Allah are three [kinds]: a people who worship Allah, the Invincible and Majestic, out of fear, and that is the worship of bondsmen; and a people who worship Allah, the Abundantly-Gracious and Sublime, seeking reward, and that is the worship of hired staff; and a people who worship Allah, the Invincible and Majestic, out of love for Him, and that is the worship of free men, and it is the best worship.

Indeed, the Imam’s expression ‘and it is the best worship’ conveys that the former two kinds of worship are not devoid of merit, and thus they are valid, and to prove this was our objective. 19

Fakhr al-Din al-Razi (d. 606/1209) in his Qur’anic exegesis Mafatih al- Ghayb has a different opinion. He says that the first two kinds of worship are invalid, and ‘if a person says I am performing my prayers to seek divine reward or to flee from His punishment, his prayer turns void (law qala usalli lithawab Allah aw lil harbi min ‘iqabihi fasudat salatuhu).’20 However, he also mentions the opinion of those who accept the validity of these actions with a reasoning different from the aforementioned opinion of Shaykh Baha’i.

He says that those who believe that intending the acquisition of divine reward and protection from divine punishment does not invalidate worship, do not regard that the action loses its purity; furthermore, they opine that intending the acquisition of divine reward and protection from His wrath does not contradict the intention of seeking Allah, for indeed Allah, the Exalted, while praising His chosen ones, says that they would hurry to do good actions and would call on Him ‘desirously and fearfully (raghaban wa rahaban)’,21 i.e. in desire of reward and fear of punishment.

As a rebuttal to this, Shaykh Baha’i says in his al-Arba‘in:

أما قولهم إن تلك الإرادة ليست مخالفة لإرادة وجه الله سبحانه فكلام ظاهري قشري إذ البون البعيد بين إطاعة المحبوب والإنقياد إليه لمحض حبه وتحصيل رضاه وبين إطاعته لأغراض اخر أظهر من الشمس في رابعة النهار، والثانية ساقطة بالكلية عن درجة الإعتبار عند أولي الأبصار.

As for their statement ‘Indeed that intention [i.e. intention of worship for seeking divine reward or protection from divine punishment] does not contradict intending God, the Exalted’: it is a superficial and meaningless statement, for there is an immense gap between obeying the Beloved and submitting to Him solely due to love for Him and seeking His pleasure, and obeying Him for other motives which are as apparent as daylight. The latter has no value at all according to the insightful.22

In his philosophical epistle Risalat al-Wilayah, alluding to the fact that the former two kinds of worship are very inferior, ‘Allamah Tabataba’i (d. 1402/1981) says:

وغير القسم الثالث، حيث انّ غايته الفوز بالراحة، أو التخلص من العذاب، فغايته حصول مشتهى النفس. فالتوجه فيه إلى الله سبحانه انما هو لحصول مشتهى النفس؛ ففيه جعل الحق سبحانه واسطة لحصول المشتهى. والواسطة، من حيث هي واسطة، غير مقصودة إلاّ بالتبع والعرض؛ فهي بالحقيقة ليست إلاّ عبادة للشهوة

The aims of the first and second kinds of devotion is comfort or immunity from chastisement and therefore their purpose is fulfilling the desires of the self (nafs). Hence, attention to Allah [and worshipping Him] in them is only for the sake of achieving the desires of the self, and thereby placing Allah, the Glorified, as a means to attain the said desires. Hence, the means inasmuch as it is the means is not intended, except secondarily and accidentally. In reality such kind of worship is only worship for the sake of desires.23

Hence, we must always opt to soar to the Beloved through the best kind of worship, which is a gradual process. Worshipping Allah solely to attain His proximity and pleasure is achieved gradually through intuitive recognition (al-ma‘rifah al-shuhudiyyah). Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) is reported to have said:

اَلنِّيَّةُ تَبْدُو مِنَ الْقَلْبِ عَلىَ قَدْرِ صَفَاءِ الْمَعْرِفَةِ

The intention begins from the heart; and [its quality] is to the extent of the clarity of recognition.24 Amir al-Mu’minin (‘a) is also reported to have said:

ثَمَرَةُ الْعِلْمِ إِخْلاَصُ الْعَمَلِ

The fruit of knowledge is the purification of action.25

Maintaining One’s Sincerity

A very significant point with regard to intention is maintaining one’s sincere intention. Sometimes one finds that one begins with an intention free from the specks of polytheism, but during one’s worship one is overcome by insinuations either directly from Satan or from one’s evil-inviting self (al-nafs al-ammarah), and thus he tarnishes his intention.

Therefore, we must be vigilant and struggle to maintain our niyyah so that it may bear the fruits of perfection. Underlining the challenge of maintaining sincerity of action, Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) is reported to have said:

اَلاِبْقَاءُ عَلىَ الْعَمَلِ حَتّى يَخْلُصَ أَشَدّ مِنَ الْعَمَلِ

Perseverance upon an action until it becomes sincere [for Allah] is more difficult than the action itself.26

Phases Of Intention In Worship

Scholars of ethics enumerate different levels of patience in their sequence of intensity. One of the higher levels of patience they mention is patience in obedience to Allah (al-sabr ‘ala ta‘at Allah). This kind of patience in acts of worship has three important phases all of which are related to one’s intention:

• Before worship, when trying to make a sincere intention (ikhlas)

• During worship, when maintaining the intention solely for Allah, and not faltering into ostentation (riya’)

• After worship, when controlling oneself from self-conceit (‘ujb)

All the above-mentioned phases require patience and the worshipper must be alert, for Satan is always trying to deviate the human being who yearns to seek the proximity of Allah.

Ayatullah Shaykh ‘Abdullah al-Mamaqani (d. 1351/1932) in his Mir’at al- Rashad advises his son:

واعلم بُنيّ أنّ الصبر على الطاعة لازم قبل العمل وحالَه وبعدَه: أمّا قبله فلتصحيح النيّة؛ وأمّا حالَه فلِكي لا يغفل عن ذكر الله تعالى، ولا يستعمل الرياء؛ وأمّا بعده فلكي لا يستعمل العُجْب ونحوه ممّا يُفسده

Know, my dear son, that patience in obedience is essential before, during and after the action. As for patience before action, it is due to the correction of one’s intention; as for patience during action, it is so that one is not oblivious of the remembrance of Allah, the Exalted, and does not practice ostentation (riya’); and as for patience after the action, it is so that one is not overcome with self-conceit (‘ujb) and the like that would corrupt the action.27

An Allusion Worthy Of Consideration

Having realised that the literal meaning and fundamental purpose of Wudhu’ is al-wada’ah (purity), one who is not careful in the spirit of the action of Wudhu’ and does not have a pure and clean intention, will not reap the anticipated purity (wada’ah). Therefore, we must be extra careful in this important segment of Wudhu’ and struggle to purify our intentions, so that our Wudhu’ really serves as a purifying agent that enlightens our souls and transports us to the neighbourhood of the Only Beloved.

• 1. Shaykh Saduq, al-Amali, p. 408.
• 2. http://www.almazaheri.ir [28-5-2013].
• 3. Sayyid Hashim Bahrani, al-Burhan fi Tafsir al-Qur’an, v.3, p. 80.
• 4. ‘Allamah Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar, v.80, p. 370.
• 5. ‘Allamah Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar, v.77, p. 310.
• 6. Shaykh Saduq, al-Khisal, p. 181.
• 7. Ahmad ibn Muhammad al-Barqi, al-Mahasin, v.1, p. 4.
• 8. Ibn Faris, Mu‘jam Maqayis al-Lughah, v.3, p. 129; Also see: Mustafawi, al-Tahqiq, v.5, p. 38.
• 9. ‘Allamah Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar, v.77, p. 302.
• 10. Shaykh ‘Ali Muhiti, Sirat-e Suluk, p. 37
• 11. Shaykh Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Fahd Hilli (d. 841/1438), ‘Uddat al- Da‘i, p. 218.
• 12. Al-Shahid al-Thani, Rasa’il al-Shahid al-Thani, p. 125.
• 13. Mulla Sadra, al-Mabda’ wa al-Ma‘ad, p. 556.
• 14. Mulla Mazandarani, Sharh Usul al-Kafi, v.8, p. 53.
• 15. Agha Najafi Isfahani, Isharat Imaniyyah, p. 211.
• 16. Ibn Shu‘bah, Tuhaf al-‘Uqul, p. 246
• 17. Shaykh Baha’i, al-Arba‘in, p. 706
• 18. Shaykh al-Kulayni, al-Kafi, v.2, p. 84.
• 19. Shaykh Baha’i, al-Arba‘in, p. 709.
• 20. Fakhr al-Din al-Razi, Mafatih al-Ghayb, v.1, p. 214.
• 21. Refer to the Holy Qur’an, 21:90.
• 22. Shaykh Baha’i, al-Arba‘in, p. 708.
• 23. ‘Allamah Tabataba’i, Risalat al-Wilayah, p. 72.
• 24. Al-Shahid al-Thani, Rasa’il al-Shahid al-Thani, p. 125.
• 25. Rayshahri, Mizan al-Hikmah, v.1, p. 759.
• 26. ‘Allamah Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar, v.76, p. 230.
• 27. Shaykh ‘Abdullah Mamaqani, Mir’at al-Rashad, p. 49. [Mir’at al-Rashad has been digitalised and is available at the following website: http://www.alseraj.net [15-6-2013]].