Niyat ( Arabic: نية ), or, in accordance with the transliteration adopted in Oriental studies , niyat , is an important concept in Islamic law . “Niyat” is translated as “intention”, “ motivation ”, “ intention ”, and is interpreted as the conscious fulfillment of an action or refusal to carry out it with a clear understanding of the purpose and meaning of the action or abstention from it. Niyat plays a key role in evaluating a person’s actions, in particular, it influences the theological and legal conclusion regarding the ritual and legal force of an action ( prayer , fasting , marriage , divorce) or the decision of an Islamic court in a criminal case.
Niyat in the Sunna
Both the Sunni and Shiite hadith collections contain many legends regarding the Niyat.
Hadiths on Niyat from Sunni collections
One of the most famous hadiths given in Sunni ( al-Bukhari , Muslim , Kans al-Ummal ) collections is the following saying of the Prophet Muhammad :
 | I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), said: “Verily, deeds [are evaluated] only by intention and, verily, each person will get only what he intended (to gain). So, having made a resettlement to Allah and His messenger, he will be moved to Allah and His messenger, and if he has moved for something worldly or for the woman whom he wanted to marry, he will be moved (only) to what he was moving to. [one] |  |
This hadith is also given in three works of the Sunni scholar an-Nawawi. These are the “Gardens of the Righteous” (“Riyad as-salihin”), “Memorial” (“Al-Azkar”) and “Forty Hadith al-Navawi” (“Al-arba'una hadadan an-navaviyya”), in which Nawawi, in particular, quotes the statement of one of the Sunni scholars Abu Daud:
| Truly, that hadeeth that says that deeds are judged only by intention is half of Islam, since religion can be either explicit, and this is a matter, or hidden, and it is an intention. [2] | |
Al-Navawi also cites a commentary by the founders of two of the four canonical Sunni madhhabs - Ahmad ibn Hanbal and al-Shafi :
| The Hadith, which says that things are evaluated only by intention, contains a third of the knowledge, this is due to the fact that the slave can acquire for himself something through his heart, his tongue and various parts of his body. Thus, intention arising in the heart is one of the three things mentioned above. [3] |
In the vault of al-Bukhari, the following hadith of the Prophet Muhammad is also given from the words of Ibn Abbas :
| Indeed, Allah identified good and bad deeds and then explained this way: whoever intended to do a good deed and didn’t do it, Allah writes down the good deed in full, and if he intended and did it, Allah writes down from ten to seven hundred and more good deeds . Whoever intended to commit a sin and did not do it, Allah writes down one good deed in full, and if he intended to commit a sin, Allah writes down one sin to him. [four] |
In another of the six canonical Sunni collections of hadiths - in the vault of al-Nisai - the hadiths of niyat are also given. One of them, transmitted from the words of Abu Umama Bahili , reads:
| Truly, Allah does not accept an act other than that which was [perfect] sincerely for His sake and for the pursuit of His face. [five] |
The same collection also contains another hadith of the Prophet Muhammad from Abu Darda, also related to the theme of intentions:
| Who goes to bed with the intention of getting up at night on tahajud namaz, but the dream overcomes him until morning comes, he is recorded what he intended [to do]. And his dream was a gift to him from Allah. [6] |
In the vault of Ibn Maj , a hadith is given, transmitted from the words of Zeid ibn Sabit , in which the theme of niyat also receives a slightly different refraction:
| Whose aspiration is this world, Allah breaks his affairs and inspires him [fear] of poverty [appearing] with his eyes. And in this world, he will not receive more than what is prescribed to him. And who seeks a future life (achirat), Allah facilitates his affairs, makes his heart rich, and this world is humiliated before him. [7] |
Sunni books also contain a number of other hadiths on the topic of niyat.
Hadiths on Niyat from Shiite collections
First of all, it should be noted that Shiites, unlike the Sunnis, use the term hadith not only in relation to the statements of the Prophet Muhammad, but they also call the sayings of Fatima Zahra and the twelve Imams (while the general term is “ Sunnah ” or “ ahbar ” ”(The unit“ Khabar ”implies not only words, but also actions, and the tacit approval of certain actions by the Prophet Muhammad or, in the Shiite version, of all fourteen Immaculate: Muhammad, Fatima, the twelve Imams).
The Shiite book Amali al-Saduk tells the following story:
| When the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him and his family) sent Ali on a campaign with a detachment of [fighters], one man told his brother: “Let's go on a military campaign with Ali detachment, we will have the opportunity to get a slave, or an animal, or something valuable. " [And then the Prophet] said: “Things [are evaluated] according to intentions, and each person receives what he aspired to. And who speaks, striving for the fact that Allah will have a reward from Allah, and who speaks, driven by worldly impulses and intentions, will receive nothing but what he aspired to. [eight] |
The Gurar al-hikam , in particular, cites two hadiths of Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib regarding intent. The first reads:
| Niyat is the basis of action. [eight] |
The second says:
| The Righteous Nyat is One of Two Things [vol. e. in itself is already an action]. [9] |
In the vault of Al-Kafi there is the following hadith from the fourth Shiite imam Ali Zayn al-Abidin :
| No action without niyat. [ten] |
The Shiite books also contain the sayings of the sixth imam Jafar al-Sadik on the topic of Niyat. In particular, Al-Kafi contains a hadith:
| Imam al-Sadik (peace be upon him) said: “The people of Hell will be cast into him forever, for their intentions in this world were such that if they remained in it forever, they would never obey Allah; and the people of Paradise will forever remain so, because their intentions in worldly life were such that if they always remained in it, they would obey Allah. Therefore, people receive eternal fate according to their intentions. ” And then he quoted the verse of Allah in the Qur'an : “Tell [Muhammad]:“ Each person chooses his own path, and your Lord knows better who chose the direct path ”” (17:84) . And he explained its meaning: “[I mean] his [one who chose the direct path] intention. [9] |
Al-Mahasin has a similar hadith of Imam al-Sadik:
| Allah will resurrect people, [judging them] in accordance with their intentions on the Day of Judgment. [eight] |
As already mentioned, good intention (that is, good niyat) in hadiths is in itself regarded as a righteous act. In this, the Sunnis and Shiites are united, and, like in the Sunni arches, in Shiite collections there are also many hadiths on this subject.
In particular, the hadith of the Prophet Muhammad is quoted in the Makarim al-ahlak , addressing one of his associates with the following words:
| Oh Abu Zarr, strive [to have] do good, even if you do not have the opportunity to do so, or you will be listed as negligent. [eight] |
Another hadith of Muhammad contained in the vault of Al-Kafi reads:
| The niyat of the believer is better than his action, and the niyat of the unbeliever is worse than his action, and each acts in accordance with his own niyat. [eleven] |
In the hadith of Imam al-Sadik, which is given in the book " Ilal al-Sharai ", the meaning of this saying of the Prophet Muhammad is explained, according to which the niyat of the believer is better than his action:
| Because an action can be performed for show, however, only niyat is sincerely turned to the Lord of the worlds, and the Almighty pays intentions in a way that He does not repay for actions. [12] |
It is important that in hadiths, niyat appears as a comprehensive, fundamental principle. So, in the collection “Makarim al-ahlak” the words of the Prophet Muhammad are addressed to Abu Zarr al-Gifari :
| Oh Abu Zarr, in everything you do, you must have a righteous niyat, even while sleeping and eating. [13] |
The compendium of Shiite hadith “ Bihar al-Anwar ” contains the hadith of Imam al-Sadik with a similar meaning:
| The sincerity of intention is important for the slave [Allah] in his every movement and state of rest, for if this were not so, he would be considered negligent. [eight] |
Shiite books such as Gurar al-hikam, Al-Mahasin, Al-Kafi, and Bihar al-Anwar also contain many hadiths of the fourteen sinless, which praise the righteous niyat and condemn the nyan unholy.
Niyat in Muslim law (fiqh)
Niyat is taken into account and taken into account when deciding on the legal force of certain actions - both in the field of worship ( ibadat ) and in the field of social cooperation ( muamalat ).
Niyat in Namaz
Niyat is regarded as a necessary and integral component of prayer , without which prayer itself is not valid. Niyat precedes the recitation of the formula “Allahu Akbar”, with which any prayer begins. Although it is not necessary to formulate the niyat aloud, the person who is praying must be sure which of the five obligatory or other additional namaz he intends to perform, and whether this is the usual fulfillment of the prescribed namaz or the completion of the namaz missed earlier ( kada ).
Here is what Muhammad Javad Magniyi’s book Five Schools of Islamic Law says about this:
| The essence of the niyat, mentioned in the chapter on ritual ablution ( voodoo ), is that this intention is to perform one or another action in sign of submission to the order of Almighty Allah. Determining the type of prayer ( salat ), whether it is obligatory or additional, ordinary ( hell ) or indebted ( kada ), depends on the niyat of the prayer. Thus, if he intends to read an additional prayer at the beginning and performs it with a similar niyat, it will be considered additional; if he intends to perform the obligatory prayer - such as midday ( zuhr ) or afternoon ( asr ), it will be judged accordingly. But if he doesn’t have any niyat at all, it will be a waste of energy, for it is impossible [to perform an action] without an [conscious] intention. [14] |
The same rule applies to small ( voodoo ) and large ( gusl ) ritual ablutions: a person should perform them with the intention of performing the ablution prescribed by the Sharia, and not just out of a desire to take a shower, wash, etc.
Niyat in a post
As with the prayer, the fasting person must have a niyat of fasting insofar as it is a prescription of Islam. Some Mujahtids require that during the month of Ramadan such a niyat be realized before the azan of the morning prayer (fajr), otherwise the fast is not considered valid. As for voluntary fasts outside Ramadan, the intention to observe such a fast should appear before the canonical noon.
In accordance with the provisions of the Jafarite and Hanbali madhhabs , a person’s fasting is considered interrupted if he has a niyat to eat or drink water during the daytime of the month of Ramadan, even if he has not fulfilled his intention.
Niyat in divorce proceedings
In all Islamic law schools, an important condition for the reality of Nikyah is the consent of both parties (both the bride and groom) to marry. Thus, both on the part of the man and on the part of the woman there must be a niyat to enter this marriage.
As for divorce, there are some discrepancies on this issue. Muhammad Javad Magniyah notes:
| According to the Imamite school, a divorce given unintentionally, either by mistake or through a gesture, has no effect. Abu Zurara claims that the Hanafites accept as a valid divorce initiated by any person [man], except minors, lunatics and the mentally disabled. Thus, a divorce given through a gesture, or in a state of intoxication, caused by the use of the forbidden, or under pressure, is valid according to the Hanafi madhhab ... Al-Shafi'i and Abu Hanifa claimed: "Niyat is not required in a divorce." The Imamites transmit the hadith from the Imams Ahl al-Beit (peace be upon them): “There is no divorce, except at will. There is no divorce, except with [appropriate] nyat. [15] |
Niyat and criminal law
Just as in secular legislation, the Islamic legal system differentiates between premeditated and unintentional murders , that is, when considering murder cases, the niyat of the accused is taken into account.
In addition, niyat is also taken into account when considering cases of adultery ( zina ).
In this regard, we can cite as an example some court decisions made by Ali ibn Abu Talib in accordance with the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad. In particular, in Al-Kafi (section "Navadir", hadith 10) the following story is given:
| A man and a woman who committed adultery were brought to Imam Ali (peace be upon him). The woman swore that the man had forced her. The Imam (peace be upon him), having accepted the assurance of the woman, did not begin to punish her. [sixteen] |
Another such decision was mentioned by Sheikh Mufid in the book “ Kitab al-Irshad ”:
| Several people came to Umar and stated that they had seen one married woman cheating on her husband. Umar ordered her executed. The woman, calling to Allah, said: “Lord! You know that I am innocent! ” Umar, angry, asked: "Do you refute the testimony of these people?" Imam Ali (peace be upon him), watching what was happening, said: “Wait, maybe she has a good reason.” When asked about what had happened, she told everything in detail: “Once I and my neighbor led the camels to a watering place. Thirst began to torment me on the way, but, no matter how much I asked my neighbor for water, he set the condition that I should get closer to him. Therefore, in order not to die of thirst, I had to agree to this. " Imam Ali (peace be upon him) said: “Allah is Great! “But whoever is compelled without wickedness and self-willed disobedience will not sin” (2: 173) . ” After these words, Umar freed the woman. [17] |
Notes
- ↑ Imam al-Nawawi, The Forty Hadiths, Commentary and Interpretation of Dr. Mustafa al-Bug Muhiy-d-din Din Mistu, First Edition, Moscow, 2001, p. 12; M. Muhammadi Rayshahri, The Scale of Wisdom, ICAS Press, 2009, p. 1114
- ↑ Imam al-Nawawi, The Forty Hadiths, Commentary and Interpretation of Dr. Mustafa al-Bug Muhiy-d-din Din Mistu, First Edition, Moscow, 2001, p. 13
- ↑ Imam al-Nawawi, Forty Hadiths, comments and explanations of Dr. Mustafa al-Bug Muhiy-d-din Mistou, first edition, Moscow, 2001
- ↑ Sheikh Muhammad Yusuf Kandehlavi. Sheikh Muhammad Sa'd Kandehlavi. Selected Hadith, Kazan, Center for Innovative Technologies, 2003, p. 505
- ↑ Sheikh Muhammad Yusuf Kandehlavi. Sheikh Muhammad Sa'd Kandehlavi. Selected Hadith, Kazan, Center for Innovative Technologies, 2003, p. 509
- ↑ Sheikh Muhammad Yusuf Kandehlavi. Sheikh Muhammad Sa'd Kandehlavi. Selected Hadith, Kazan, Center for Innovative Technologies, 2003, p. 510
- ↑ Sheikh Muhammad Yusuf Kandehlavi. Sheikh Muhammad Sa'd Kandehlavi. Selected Hadith, Kazan, Center for Innovative Technologies, 2003
- ↑ 1 2 3 4 5 M. Muhammadi Rayshahri, The Scale of Wisdom, ICAS Press, 2009, p. 1114
- ↑ 1 2 p. 1115.
- ↑ p. 1114.
- ↑ p. 1116.
- ↑ p. 1116-1117.
- ↑ p. 1117.
- ↑ Muhammad Jawad Maghniyyah. The Five Schools of Islamic Law, Ansariyyan Publications, 2000, p. 86
- ↑ Muhammad Jawad Maghniyyah. The Five Schools of Islamic Law, Ansariyyan Publications, 2000, p. 382
- ↑ Muhammad Taki Tustari. Decisions and wisdom of Ali ibn Abi Talib. Moscow, Istok, 2010, p. 62
- ↑ Muhammad Taki Tustari. Decisions and wisdom of Ali ibn Abi Talib. Moscow, Istok, 2010, p. 63
Literature
- M. Muhammadi Rayshahri, The Scale of Wisdom, Icas Press, 2009;
- Imam Al-Nawawi, Forty Hadiths, Comments and Explanations of Dr. Mustafa al-Bug Muhiy-d-Din Din Mistu, First Edition, Moscow, 2001;
- Sheikh Muhammad Yusuf Kandekhlavi. Sheikh Muhammad Sa'd Kandehlavi. Selected Hadith, Kazan, Center for Innovative Technologies, 2003;
- Muhammad Taki Tustari. Decisions and wisdom of Ali ibn Abi Talib. Moscow, Istok, 2010.