Chapter VII: Intention, Sincerity and Truth
It is reported that the Prophet Zakaria was raising an earthen wall as a labourer for some person. He used to eat the earnings of ' his own hand. He began to take his food but when a person begged of him something to eat, he did not give it to him. The people around him were surprised to see the action of the Prophet as he was too much reported for his generosity and asceticism. He then said : I work as a labourer of some persons. They gave me this bread in order to gain strength and do their work. If he- had taken food with me, it would not have been sufficient for him, nor for me. By that, I would not have been able to complete their work. The man who has got clear insight takes . care of even these small things with the help of Divine light. The great saint Sufiyan said : If a man calls another to take share in his food without really intending to part anything of his food, he will be guilty of hypocrisy even if the man partakes of his food, Had he known his intention, he would not have partaken of his food. So examine your intention in all affairs and do not do any action without intention.
MEANING OF INTENTION
Meaning of Intention is not only expression by mouth but also will to that expression. It is the liking of mind for that Tor which expression is used by the month. When there is nO liking or intention of mind, mere verbal expression means nothing. So Niyyat or intention in prayer by only verbal expression without application of mind is meaningless. It is just like the expression 1 love so and so without actually meaning the same. A man turns towards one whom he believes to be his friend. There are many causes for willingness or unwillingness of mind and causes vary according to the different conditions of man. When a man desires to marry a girl in order to satisfy his carnal desire, he can not have the will to get a son by copulation with her. The reason of copulation is the satisfaction of his canal desire, and not to have a child, If he says by mouth "I copulate with you to have a son", it will be falsehood. It is not his word of mind, but of mouth, For this reason, some of the former saints did not do anything without forming a definite niyyat or intention for that.
It is reported that the great saint Ibn Sirin did not pray Janaja prayer over the deadbody of Hazrat Hasan Basari as he said that the niyyat of Janaja did not as yet arise in his mind. Ahmed-b- Solaiman was a reputed learned man of Kufa. When he died, the
324 WILL OR INTENTION Vol-IV