الحمد لله نحمده ونستعينة ونستغفره، ونعوذ بالله من شرور أنفسنا، ومن سيئات أعمالنا 

وأشهد أن لا إله إلا الله وحده لا شريك له ، وأشهد أن سيدنا محمدًا عبده ورسوله

Today is the 2nd day in the new Hijra year, it is the year 1441.  On this important occasion, I want to link the power of intention to the occasion of Hijra, the emigration of the Prophet (PBUH) and connect it to our own emigration.  

The Relevance of the Hijra

The Hijra of the Prophet (PBUH) from Mecca to Madina is not a mere occasion to celebrate for an event that occurred 1441 years ago.  The Hijra is the most critical event in the history of Islam, without it there would have been no Islam. 

The Hijra was the corner stone (حجر الاساس) of establising the Muslim nation.   The establishment of a nation does do not occur by miracles but rather by hard work and by taking advantages of all the means and the resources that are available, after all it is Allah who facilities the presence of these resources.

When we study the history of the Prophets, we realize that all of them have emigrated, Prophet Ibrahim, Prophet Lot, and Prophet Musa to mention few.  Therefore, emigration is part of the Sunnah of Allah (سنة الله) (the way of Allah, the system of Allah) in this life.  But, our success in pleasing Allah by following His sunnah depends on our intention for making the emigration. 

The Sunnah of Hijra

Before discussing the concept of intention, let us look at three verses in Surat al-Nisa that warn those who don’t emigrate while living in an oppressive community and encourages those who immigrate. 

Regarding those who cannot fulfill the commands of Allah and their excuse is that this is how to survive in an oppressive society, Allah warns those people with the Hell fire as He says:

إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ تَوَفَّٮٰهُمُ ٱلۡمَلَـٰٓٮِٕكَةُ ظَالِمِىٓ أَنفُسِہِمۡ قَالُواْ فِيمَ كُنتُمۡ‌ۖ قَالُواْ كُنَّا مُسۡتَضۡعَفِينَ فِى ٱلۡأَرۡضِ‌ۚ قَالُوٓاْ أَلَمۡ تَكُنۡ أَرۡضُ ٱللَّهِ وَٲسِعَةً۬ فَتُہَاجِرُواْ فِيہَا‌ۚ فَأُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكَ مَأۡوَٮٰهُمۡ جَهَنَّمُ‌ۖ وَسَآءَتۡ مَصِيرًا (٩٧)

Indeed, those whose souls the angels take while they had wronged themselves, the angels say (to them) “In what business were you (involved)? They say: We were oppressed in the earth.” They say:  Wasn’t the earth of Allah wide enough for you to emigrate to it? Those people will find their abode in Hell – What an evil destination!  (Al-Nisa 4:97)

But Allah makes an exception for those who don’t have the means to immigrate, as He says:

إِلَّا ٱلۡمُسۡتَضۡعَفِينَ مِنَ ٱلرِّجَالِ وَٱلنِّسَآءِ وَٱلۡوِلۡدَٲنِ لَا يَسۡتَطِيعُونَ حِيلَةً۬ وَلَا يَہۡتَدُونَ سَبِيلاً۬ (٩٨) فَأُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكَ عَسَى ٱللَّهُ أَن يَعۡفُوَ عَنۡہُمۡ‌ۚ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ عَفُوًّا غَفُورً۬ا (٩٩)

Except the weak ones among men, women and children who cannot have means (to emigrate) not can find a way (98) These are ones whom Allah is likely to forgive them, and Allah is Most-Pardoning, Most-Forgiving. (Al-Nisa 4:98-99)

Then Allah gives the glad tidings to those who emigrate for his cause by saying:

وَمَن يُہَاجِرۡ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ يَجِدۡ فِى ٱلۡأَرۡضِ مُرَٲغَمً۬ا كَثِيرً۬ا وَسَعَةً۬‌ۚ وَمَن يَخۡرُجۡ مِنۢ بَيۡتِهِۦ مُهَاجِرًا إِلَى ٱللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِۦ ثُمَّ يُدۡرِكۡهُ ٱلۡمَوۡتُ فَقَدۡ وَقَعَ أَجۡرُهُ ۥ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ‌ۗ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ غَفُورً۬ا رَّحِيمً۬ا (١٠٠)]سُوۡرَةُ النِّسَاء[

Whoever emigrates in the Cause of Allah, will find on earth many dwelling places and plenty of resources to live by.  And whosoever leaves his migrating to Allah and His Messenger, and death overtakes him, his reward is then surely incumbent upon Allah. And Allah is Most Forgiving, Most Merciful. (Al-Nisa 4:100)

Allah also says in Surat al-Nahl:

وَالَّذِينَ هَاجَرُوا فِي اللَّهِ مِن بَعْدِ مَا ظُلِمُوا لَنُبَوِّئَنَّهُمْ فِي الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً ۖ وَلَأَجْرُ الْآخِرَةِ أَكْبَرُ ۚ لَوْ كَانُوا يَعْلَمُونَ ]النحل – الآية 41[

“And as for those who emigrated for the Cause of Allah, after they had been oppressed, We will certainly give them goodly residence in this world, but indeed the reward of the Hereafter will be greater, if they but knew!’ (Al-Nahl 16:41)

The metric for successful Hijra

We realize that the glad tidings are given to those who emigrated for the cause of Allah (هَاجَرُوا فِي اللَّهِ) (يُہَاجِرۡ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ).  In order to ensure that our emigration is for the sake of Allah, we must have this as our intention.  We all know the famous hadeath on the intention:

Omar Ibn Al-Khattab (عمر بن الخطاب رضي الله) said that The Prophet (PBUH) said:

عن أمير المؤمنين عمر بن الخطاب رضي الله عنه قال: سمعت رسول الله صلى الله تعالى عليه وعلى آله وسلم يقول:«إنما الأعمال بالنيات، وإنما لكل امرئ ما نوى، فمن كانت هجرته إلى الله ورسوله فهجرته إلى الله ورسوله، ومن كانت هجرته لدنيا يصيبها أو امرأة ينكحها فهجرته إلى ما هاجر إليه».(رواه البخاري مسلم).

“Actions are but by intentions and every person shall have what he intended.  He whose emigration was for Allah and his Messenger; His emigration is for Allah and his Messenger.  But he whose emigration was to achieve some worldly benefit or a woman to marry her, his emigration is for that for which he emigrated.”

Definition of Intention (النية)

The question is: what does the intention mean?  Some may misinterpret the term intention to mean commitment to fulfill something that one intended to achieve.  

There are many books written about intention, even in English by non-Muslims.  Muslim scholars define intention as sincerity (الإخلاص) and they say that the intention is an act of worship whose location is the heart (وهي عبادة معنوية فمحلها القلب،) and they support this definition with the following verse

وَمَا أُمِرُوا إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ مُخْلِصِينَ) البَیّنَة(

“And they were not been commanded with anything except to worship Allah with sincerity.” (Al-Bayana 98:5)   

While the worship is the outward deed, the sincerity is the inward deed which is demonstrated by the intention.

The well-known motivational speaker Dr. Wayne W. Dyer who wrote the book “The Power of Intention” defines intention as the surrender to the force that is bigger than you, the force that beats your heart.”  He means by the force is the force that controls the universe which is God.

Quote on the Force

Regarding the force that controls the universe, the great German theoretical physicist Max Karl Planck (April 1858 –October 1947) whose discovery of energy quanta won him the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1918 said: “All matter originates and exists only by virtue of a force which brings the particle of an atom to vibration and holds this most minute solar system of the atom together.  We must assume behind this force the existence of a conscious and intelligent mind. This mind is the matrix of all matter.”

Redirecting our emigration intention

In the context of discussing the intention (النية) as the connection to the source of power which is Allah; an emigration in done in the sake of Allah is an emigration done while you are always being in connection to Allah. 

While our emigration to the US may have been originally done for the purpose of connection to education, better job or family, we must take the opportunity of celebrating the beginning of the new Hijra year to redirect our intention to make it for the purpose of connection to Allah. 

This implies your surrender to Allah, ensuring that all you do are pleasing to Him. This also implies that you judge your worth based on God’s assessment of you and not based on your position or achievement or even what people think of you.  Allah says:

قُلۡ إِنَّ صَلَاتِى وَنُسُكِى وَمَحۡيَاىَ وَمَمَاتِى لِلَّهِ رَبِّ ٱلۡعَـٰلَمِينَ (١٦٢) لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ ۥ‌ۖ وَبِذَٲلِكَ أُمِرۡتُ وَأَنَا۟ أَوَّلُ ٱلۡمُسۡلِمِينَ (١٦٣)

 “Say, “Indeed my prayer, and my rites, and my living, and my dying are for Allah, The Lord of the worlds. He has No associate; and this I am commanded, and I am the first of the Muslims.” (Al-Ana’am 6:162-163).

Importance of intention

Because the intention is setting the person in connection to Allah, several Muslim scholars said that that hadeeth “actions are but by intentions”, represents 1/3 of Islam (وقال جماعة من العلماء: «هذا الحديث ثلث الإسلام»)

Imam Al-Shafie said:

وروى عن الشافعي رضي الله تعالى عنه أن قال: يدخل هذا الحديث في سبعين باباً من الفقه،

“This hadeath about intention enters in seventy areas of Fiqh”

As you know there are 5 Foundational Rules, principles, axioms of Fiqh and these are:

1. Deeds are judged by intentions.
2. Certainty is not removed by doubt
3. Hardship requires dispensation
4. Customs are applied
5. Actions have consequences.

So, the first foundational rule in Fiqh is “Deeds are judged based on intentions”

Lesson from the Hijra of the Prophet

When we examine the Hijra of the Prophet (PBUH) we realize that it required serious planning from him and the use of all the resources that were available to him.   As part of the plan, the Prophet (PBUH) engaged a friend (Abu Bakr), a youth (Ali),  a woman (Asmaa the daughter of Abu Bakr),  a young Muslim man (Abdullah the son of Abu Bakr), a servant  Amir bin Fuhairah (عامر بن فُهَيْرَة), a none Muslim man Abdullah bin Uraiquit (عبد الله بن أُرَيْقِط الليثى).  The plan also included taking advantages of animals, sheep and camels. This is addition to a serious travel plan with the selection of an inhabited road to avoid detection.

As a side issue, at the time of Hijra Asmaa bint Abu Bakr was 27 years old and her sister Aisha was 10 years younger, i.e. Sayeda Aisha was 17 years old at the time of Hijra years old according to the Muslim historians Ibn Kathir (ابن كثير) and Ibn ‘Asakir (ابن عساكر).  At that time, Asmaa was pregnant with her son Abdullah ibn Al-Zubair (عبد الله بن الزبير) who was born after she emigrated to Madina.

As we study the emigration of the Prophet (PBUH), we need to focus on the degree of planning that the Prophet (PBUH) undertook to ensure his safety and that of Abu-Bakr. This should be a lesson for us on what does the reliance (Tawakul) on Allah (التوكل على الله) mean and how we can apply it.

Reliance on Allah (Tawakul on Allah) التوكل على الله) )

Allah informs us that the attribute of the believers is their reliance (Tawakul) on Allah (التوكل على الله) in several verses in the Quran such as Al-Anfal (8:2), Al-Nahl (16: 99), Al-Ankabout (29: 58), and Ash-Shura (42:36).  In surat Al-Nafal, Allah says:

إِنَّمَا ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنُونَ ٱلَّذِينَ إِذَا ذُكِرَ ٱللَّهُ وَجِلَتۡ قُلُوبُہُمۡ وَإِذَا تُلِيَتۡ عَلَيۡہِمۡ ءَايَـٰتُهُ ۥ زَادَتۡہُمۡ إِيمَـٰنً۬ا وَعَلَىٰ رَبِّهِمۡ يَتَوَكَّلُونَ (٢)

“Certainly, the believers are those whose hearts is filled with awe when Allah is mentioned, and when they hear His verses recited, it strengthens their faith, and on their Lord they rely.” (Al-Anfal 8:2) 

Without the example of the Prophet (PBUH), I am convinced that Muslims would have misapplied the concept of reliance on Allah and used it as excuse to justify complacency and laziness.  This why Allah commands us to follow the sunnah of the Prophet (PBUH) and take him as our role model, as He says:

. 

لَقَدْ كَانَ لَكُمْ فِي رَسُولِ اللَّهِ أُسْوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌ لِمَنْ كَانَ يَرْجُو اللَّهَ وَالْيَوْمَ الآخِرَ وَذَكَرَ اللَّهَ كَثِيرًا  )الأحزاب(

You have indeed in the Messenger of Allah a beautiful role model for any one whose hope is in Allah and the Final Day, and who engages much in the praise of Allah. (Al-Ahzab 33: 21)

Also, Allah tells His messenger (PBUH) to command us to follow him:

قُلْ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ تُحِبُّونَ اللَّهَ فَاتَّبِعُونِي يُحْبِبْكُمُ اللَّهُ وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ ذُنُوبَكُمْ وَاللَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَحِيمٌ  )آل عمران(

Say: “If you do love Allah, follow me: Allah will love you and forgive you your sins; for Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” (Al- Imran 3:31)

The reliance in Allah 

The Prophet (PBUH) demonstrated to us that the reliance in Allah (التوكل على الله) requires perfection of our planning and our work. The Prophet (PBUH) left nothing to chance, even though he knew that everything is in the hand of Allah and Allah will protect him.

The Prophet (PBUH) demonstrated to us by practical example that the reliance on Allah and trust in Him are functions of the heart and not of the limbs.  The limbs must do all that is possible to take advantage of all the means that Allah has made available to them.

You may have heard the allegorical story that a flood was overtaking an area and the police went on announcing that everyone must evacuate but a man refused saying that he relies on Allah and He will protect him.  The water was getting higher and the fire trucks came to evacuate anyone left but the man refused to ride with them and said he is relying on Allah and He will protect him. 

The flood got even higher and the man went to the top of the roof of his house and a rescue helicopter came and send the rope with a basket for the man to pick him up, but he refused saying that he will rely on Allah and He will protect him.  Then a big wave came and drowned the man. 

When he died, he complained to the angels that how come he relied on Allah and He did not save Him.  The angels told him, what do you mean that Allah did not save you?  Allah sent to you the police to save you, then He sent the firemen to save you and He even sent a helicopter to save you but you kept rejecting Allah’s help to save yourself.  Haven’t you heard Allah’s words:

وَمَآ أَصَـٰبَڪُم مِّن مُّصِيبَةٍ۬ فَبِمَا كَسَبَتۡ أَيۡدِيكُمۡ وَيَعۡفُواْ عَن كَثِيرٍ۬ (٣٠) ]سُوۡرَةُ الشّوریٰ[

 “And whatever of misfortune befalls you, it is because of what your hands have earned. And He overlooks many.” (Al-Shura 42:30)

أَوَلَمَّآ أَصَـٰبَتۡكُم مُّصِيبَةٌ۬ قَدۡ أَصَبۡتُم مِّثۡلَيۡہَا قُلۡتُمۡ أَنَّىٰ هَـٰذَا‌ۖ قُلۡ هُوَ مِنۡ عِندِ أَنفُسِكُمۡ‌ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىۡءٍ۬ قَدِيرٌ۬ (١٦٥)

“(What is the matter with you?) When a disaster inflicts you, twice of which you inflicted your enemies, you say: “where did this come from?” Say (to them), “It is from yourselves.” And Allah has power over all things. “(Al-Emran 3:165)

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