Intention

Intention is a mental state that represents a commitment to carrying out an action or actions in the future. Intention involves mental activities such as planning and forethought.

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Intention . Shirk . Sunni-Shi'a . Prostration (sujud) . Tawhid

I heard a Shia scholar say that when prostrating at the doorstep of the Prophet (saw), with the intention of piety and love of Allah, this action is not regarded as an act of Shirk. Can you explain the boundaries of Tawheed and Shirk in Shia Islam?

Sayyed Mohammad Al-Musawi, Sayyed Mohammad al-Musawi is originally from Iraq and heads up the World Ahlul Bayt Islamic League in London. Other than being involved in various humanitarian projects, he frequently responds to... Answered 1 month ago

Tawheed means not believing nor worshiping but only Allah (SWT). Shirk is believing or worshiping other than Allah with Allah (SWT). We believe that the Prophet and his Ahlul Bayt are the most humble servants of Allah.

Prostrating at the doorstep of the Prophet (SAWA) is in fact for thanking Allah for granting us the great bounty of visiting the shrine of the Prophet (SAWA) or his Ahlul Bayt (AS). Thanking Allah in the form of prostrating is a sincere worship to Allah and can never be Shirk. We never believe nor accept any claim suggesting worshiping the Prophet, his Ahlul Bayt or any one but only Allah (SWT). Respecting the Prophet and his Ahlul Bayt does not mean worshipping them at all. Respect is completely different from worshiping. Wahhabis mix wrongly between respect and worship. Even we prostrate at the doorstep of the holy shrines, we never do it as a sign of respect but we do it as an act of thanking Allah for His great bounties on us.

Wassalam.

Intention . Shirk . Sunni-Shi'a . Prostration (sujud) . Tawhid

Zoheir Ali Esmail, Shaykh Zoheir Ali Esmail has a Bsc in Accounting and Finance from the LSE in London, and an MA in Islamic Studies from Middlesex University. He studied Arabic at Damascus University and holds a PhD... Answered 1 month ago

Bismillah

Thank you for your question. Shirk is to limit Allah in any way such that even the conception of another god would be possible. Even to say He is a god is not satisfactory as that would entail a genus of gods under which God would be a species with only one referent. Numerical oneness is limited, as in numbering God as one a person gives the possibility of two gods. Numbers themselves are a factor of the material world. Rather, Allah is above being numbered as a number entails a limit and He is above all limitations.

As for prostration, it is clear that if a person prostrates to a being in worship then that is completely forbidden in Islam and Shiism as a sect within Islam. However, prostration does not only entail this meaning and is also a symbol of humbleness. For this reason God commanded the angels to prostrate to Adam (as), not in worship or out of polytheistic intent. So too Prophet Ya'qub (as) prostrated in front of Prophet Yusuf (as).

May you always be successful

100416

Intention . Tazkiyah (Purification) . God (Allah)

How do I purify my intention and be a good person for the sake of Allah?

Proper thinking and sincere devotion to the truth lead the person to be a good person obeying Allah, The Creator, The Most Merciful. All our needs, hopes and wishes are in His Hand and He is everything in our life here and hereafter.

When we think rationally with perfect logic, we know that every act , good or bad has a result, whether it is good or bad. We are more near to the truth when we think properly and ponder of our life start, present and future and our actions. We don't have any supporter more Able, Merciful on us than Our Creator Allah. No one knows about us more than Him. No one is more close to us than Allah (SWT). Being with Allah (SWT) is the only way for peace and tranquility and the only way for happy and successful life here and hereafter. Imam Husain(AS) was reported supplicating to Allah: O Allah; Who found you,what did lose? And who lost you,what did he get?

You may read Quranic verses as much as you can and the supplications of Kumayl, Abu Hamza al-Thimali, and Saheefa Sajjadia and other supplications and sayings narrated from The Prophet (SAWA) and Ahlul Bayt(AS).
'Wassalam.

97484

Shirk . Intention . Salah (Prayers) . Repentance (Tawbah)

While I was praying I realized that there was a picture before me depicting people. I immediately placed it elsewhere and repented to Allah. Did I commit Shirk for unintentionally bowing to the picture even though my intention was to bow only to Allah?

Amina Inloes, Amina Inloes is originally from the US and has a PhD in Islamic Studies from the University of Exeter on Shi'a hadith. She is the program leader for the MA Islamic Studies program at the... Answered 3 months ago

Insofar as you are not intentionally worshipping or praying to the picture or the people and just had it there by accident, it is not shirk. However it is better not to pray in front of the picture (and you fixed that anyway so that is not a problem). Accidents happen!

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Istikhara . Intention . God (Allah)

If a person does Istikhara with the intention that she will not follow it if it comes out bad, is this intention of Istikhara valid, or will they have to perform the Istikhara again with the intention that they will follow whatever Allah wills?

If the person had the intention not to follow the Istekhara if it come out bad, the Istekhara is invalid. Istekhara means seeking guidance from Allah whether we like it or not. The intention of not following it if it come out bad means that the person is not seeking guidance from Allah through Istekhara, rather wants to dictate what he wants on the Istekhara. Such act is wrong and has no value.

Wassalam.

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Intention . Prostration (sujud) . Basmalah

Do I need to do Sajda al-Sahw if in the third Rakah I unintentionally said Bismillah when my intention was to do Tasbihat al-Arba'a?

It is not obligatory to perform Sajda al-Sahw for unintentionally saying Bismillah in stead of Tasbeehaat Al-Arba'.

Wassalam.

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Intention . Sawm (Fasting) . Sayyid Ali Hussaini Sistani

What is the ruling of Ayatollah Sistani about placing a pleasant or cold substance in the mouth, while a person is fasting, provided that the substance was placed with the intention to feel better and get some relief?

Zaid Alsalami, Shaykh Dr Zaid Alsalami is an Iraqi born scholar, raised in Australia. He obtained a BA from Al-Mustafa University, Qom, and an MA from the Islamic College in London. He also obtained a PhD from... Answered 4 months ago

Bismihi ta'ala

It is permissible to place something solid in one's mouth while fasting, for the purpose of cooling down, or naturally creating saliva, as long as it is not swallowed, or taken out and placed back in mouth again.

An example for this is putting a coin in your mouth.

And Allah knows best.

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Intention . Soul

If someone writes motivational and inspirational blog posts and has good intention and claims to heal broken souls and provide comfort to others, is it permissible in Islam to write and make such claims?

Bismillah

Thank you for your question. There is no problem in writing the inspirational posts and these claims as long as they are true and the person is qualified to do

so. Good intention should also be coupled with knowledge and wisdom.

May you always be successful

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Intention . Sin . Mother

I asked my mom for permission to study and live abroad for the next 5 years but she refused. As my intention here is good, to get a better scholarship and a better life, is it a sin then to keep pursuing my dream against my mother's wish?

You must avoid hurting the feelings of your mother. She does not want for you but the best,so, you should consider her wish even if it seems to you now against your wish, but be sure that success can never achieved through hurting the feelings of your parents.

Listen to your mother and keep her respect, and be sure that Allah (SWT) will look after you and grant you success from unexpected sources, and protect you from unseen dangers.

Wassalam.

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Sin . Social Media . Intention

If anyone is using social media and a Haram item came up for a moment before they closed it or scrolled past it, does that single unintentional look constitute a sin?

Intentional looking at the sinful items is not permissible. If he looked at it with out intention to look at the bad, it won't be sinful. It always important to be away from sinful acts and be very precautious.

Wassalam.

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Intention . Meaning

When scholars say that the intention of doing a particular act should be Qurbatan Ilallah what does that actually mean?

Seyed Ali Shobayri, Seyed Ali Shobayri is of mixed Iranian and Scottish descent who found the path of the Ahlul Bayt (a) by his own research. He holds a BA in Islamic Studies from Middlesex University through the... Answered 10 months ago

Bismaillah,

Asslamu Alaykom,

Qasd Al-Qurbah means that the act must be done with the intention of seeking closeness to Allah swt. For example, salah, hajj, sawm, wudu and ghusl etc. All these acts are not valid without the specific intention of doing them for the sake of Allah.

There are some other actions where you wouldn’t need this intention. For example, making something tahir (purified). It wouldn’t be necessary if someone was removing an impure substance to utter this intention.

May Allah grant you success

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Ramadan . Sawm (Fasting) . Intention

What is the easiest and best Niyyat for fasting in the month of Ramadhan?

Niyyat is nothing more than the intention in your mind or heart to fast for the sake of Allah (SWT). Just having this intention to fast the whole of the month of Ramadan is enough for the whole month.

Wassalam.