Actions are but by intentions, and every man shall have only that whic…
“Actions are but by intentions, and every man shall have only that which he intended.”
Narrator: Umar ibn al-Khattab
Source: Sahih al-Bukhari 1, Sahih Muslim 1907
Explanation
This is one of the most foundational hadiths in Islam. It establishes that the value of any action is determined by the intention behind it. The same outward act can be worship or sin depending on what the heart intended.
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More Hadiths on Faith
“Islam is built upon five: testifying that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is His Messenger, establishing prayer, giving zakat, fasting Ramadan, and pilgrimage to the House.”
Sahih al-Bukhari 8, Sahih Muslim 16
“The world is a prison for the believer and a paradise for the disbeliever.”
Sahih Muslim 2956
“The religion is sincerity (nasihah).”
Sahih Muslim 55
“The strong believer is better and more beloved to Allah than the weak believer, and in each there is good.”
Sahih Muslim 2664
Sources.Hadith excerpts are taken from the Kutub al-Sittah (Sahih Bukhari, Sahih Muslim, Sunan Abu Dawud, Jami at-Tirmidhi, Sunan an-Nasa'i, Sunan Ibn Majah) with collection and number cited where applicable. Explanations are AI-assisted and reviewed against classical sources — see our editorial policy.