Narrated by Umar ibn al-Khattab
Actions are judged by their intentions, and every person will have what they intended. So whoever emigrated for Allah and His Messenger, his emigration is for Allah and His Messenger; and whoever emigrated for something of this world or to marry a woman, his emigration is for what he emigrated for.
Sahih al-Bukhari 1, Sahih Muslim 1907
What this hadith teaches
Scholars open their books with this hadith because it is the basis of every act of worship. A prayer offered sincerely for Allah is rewarded; the same movements done to be seen by people are not.
Reference and grade
- Grade
- Sahih: agreed upon by al-Bukhari and Muslim
- Narrator
- Umar ibn al-Khattab
- Chapter
- Why prayer matters
The hadith in Arabic نص الحديث
إِنَّمَا الأَعْمَالُ بِالنِّيَّاتِ، وَإِنَّمَا لِكُلِّ امْرِئٍ مَا نَوَى، فَمَنْ كَانَتْ هِجْرَتُهُ إِلَى دُنْيَا يُصِيبُهَا أَوْ إِلَى امْرَأَةٍ يَنْكِحُهَا فَهِجْرَتُهُ إِلَى مَا هَاجَرَ إِلَيْهِ
Arabic text of Sahih al-Bukhari 1, as given on sunnah.com.