Benefits of having sincere intentions

1 – Turning habits into acts of worship

A good intention may turn a habit into an act of worship for which a person will be rewarded. So by eating and drinking he may intend to strengthen himself to obey Allaah, and by getting married he may intend to keep himself and his wife chaste, and so on.

2 – Earning reward without doing any deed, if the Muslim is definite in his intention.

A Muslim may form a definite intention to do acts that are prescribed in sharee’ah, then something prevents him from doing that – but he will still be rewarded for it. There are a number of ahaadeeth concerning that, such as the following:

1 – It was narrated that Jaabir (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: We were with the Prophet on a campaign and he said: “You did not travel any distance or cross any valley but in Madeenah there are men who were with you, but they were kept behind by sickness.” According to another version: “… but they shared the reward with you.” Narrated by Muslim, 1911.

2 – It was narrated from Abu’l-Darda’ (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Prophet said: “Whoever goes to his bed intending to get up and pray at night, then his eyes overwhelm him and (he sleeps) until morning, the (reward for) that which he intended will be written for him, and his sleep is a charity for him given by his Lord, may He be glorified and exalted.” Narrated by al-Nasaa’i, 1787; Ibn Maajah, 1344; classed as saheeh by Shaykh al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Targheeb, 601.

3 – It was narrated from Sahl ibn Haneef that the Prophet said: “Whoever sincerely asks Allaah for martyrdom will attain the status of the martyrs even if he dies in his bed.” Narrated by Muslim, 1909.

And there are many other such reports, all of which indicate that whoever forms a sincere, definite intention to do good or obey Allaah, then is prevented from doing that deed, Allaah will decree the reward for him.

>>>Courtesy:- Khalid Paulraj<<<