Why Intentions matter?

A man once set out on a journey to find a treasure. He had heard stories of a hidden chest filled with gold, buried deep within the mountains. At first, his heart burned with noble intentions—he wanted to use the gold to help the poor, build a shelter for the needy, and provide for his family in a way that pleased Allah. But as the journey stretched on, his thoughts began to change. The hardships of the road, the endless struggles, and the allure of the treasure itself clouded his mind.

By the time he reached the chest, he had forgotten why he started. Instead of seeing the gold as a means to help others, he saw it as his own reward. He whispered to himself, I have earned this. I have suffered for this. I deserve this. Without realizing it, his intention had shifted.

Intentions are like the steering wheel of a car—they direct where we go, even if we don’t always notice the small turns along the way. What starts as a pure, righteous goal can slowly drift into something else without us realizing it. That’s why it is essential to regularly purify our intentions. Just as a car needs realignment after long journeys, our hearts need to be checked and adjusted over time.

In Islam, intentions are not just limited to acts of worship. They can—and should—be made for everything we do. Even something as simple as taking a shower can carry multiple intentions. It can be for cleanliness, for refreshing the body to focus better in worship, or for maintaining purity as part of Islamic etiquette. By stacking intentions, we increase the reward for a single action. A person who writes a book can intend to please Allah by spreading beneficial knowledge, help others understand Islam, earn a halal income, develop their writing skills, and support charity through their earnings. The more sincere and layered the intention, the greater the reward.

But what if, over time, the purpose changes? What if the writer who once aimed to help others now focuses only on profits? Or the speaker who once gave dawah for Allah now craves fame more than guidance? This is where self-awareness becomes crucial. The moment we recognize our intentions have strayed, we must correct them before they take over completely. This is not always easy, as desires, greed, and even social pressures can push us in the wrong direction.

To prevent this from happening, we can set up safeguards. If someone fears that money will corrupt their sincerity, they could donate all profits to charity, set a rule that a percentage always goes toward good causes, or even sell the project to someone else if it becomes a test of greed.

Not every action in life needs to be a grand act of worship, but we should still be mindful of our priorities. Islam does not restrict us from enjoying life. Playing games, having hobbies, and relaxing are all part of a balanced life. However, they should never become distractions that pull us away from our greater purpose.

We are not expected to be perfect, but we are expected to be aware. Success is not measured only by what we achieve, but by whether we stay true to why we started. Just like the traveler who reached the treasure, we must ask ourselves—when we finally attain what we seek, will we still remember why we began?

May Allah keep our hearts firm and our intentions pure.