Purify your intention

Assalamu alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh

Sometimes we rush into doing good deeds -

praying

giving charity

helping someone

sharing Islamic reminders online -

and only afterwards do we wonder :

“Was this really for Allah?

Or was there something else mixed into it?”

It’s a quiet question…

but a powerful one

Our hearts are not static -

they shift

they sway

they get distracted

and sometimes seek validation without us even noticing

And yet

the Prophet ﷺ made it very clear :

"Actions are judged by intentions." 
- Bukhari & Muslim

Meaning :

• A small deed with sincerity becomes huge

• A big deed done for attention becomes weightless

So before any good deed

pause -

and purify your heart

not perfectly -

but consciously

Why Allah loves sincere intentions

Sincerity is not about perfection -

it’s about direction

When you do something purely for Allah :

• The deed becomes timeless

• The reward continues - even after you die

• The action becomes a means of closeness to Him

Even if :

• nobody sees it

• nobody thanks you

• nobody understands your effort

Your Lord sees

Your Lord knows

Your Lord rewards

How to purify your intention - step by step

1. Pause before you start 

We live fast -

worship slows us down

When you’re about to do something good :

• Before opening the Qur’an

• Before posting an Islamic reminder

• Before giving charity

• Before wearing hijab properly

• Before helping someone

take one breath and ask :

"Who am I doing this for?"

Just asking the question softens the heart

2. State your intention clearly 

Say -

silently or aloud :

"O Allah, this is for Your sake alone. Protect me from showing off."

This isn’t just words -

It’s a reset button

3. Remove the need to be seen 

Remind your heart :

• The deed isn’t less valuable if no one knows

• It’s actually more precious

The Prophet ﷺ said Allah loves :

"A believer who worships Allah quietly and consistently." 

Sometimes the most powerful deeds are the ones no one ever hears about

4. Seek Allah’s acceptance after the deed 

Just like the Prophet Ibrahim ع -

even after building the Ka’bah

he made du’a :

"O Allah, accept from us."

Because the goal isn’t :

“I did it”

The goal is :

“Allah accepted it”

5. Renew, repair, and return

Intentions do not stay pure forever

They drift

So purifying your intention isn’t a one-time action -

it’s a conversation with your heart that continues your whole life

Every time you feel yourself slipping into :

• comparison

• competition

• or craving approval -

just quietly return to Allah

He loves hearts that come back

Signs of a sincere heart

subtle signs your intention is becoming purer :

• You become less worried about who notices

• You continue even when the effort is unseen

• Praise doesn’t inflate you, criticism doesn’t break you

• You feel peace while doing the deed - not pressure

Take 30 seconds and ask yourself :

"Which deed in my life needs a renewed intention?"

no judgement

only growth

A small weekly practice

Choose one deed to make purely for Allah this week

It can be as simple as :

• two rak’ah of salah no one knows about

• a charity donation only Allah knows

• reading one page of Qur’an quietly

• private du’a for someone

• deleting a post you made for attention

Small but sincere

Reply to this email and finish this sentence :

“This week, I want to make ____________ purely for Allah.”

Your reply doesn’t need perfection -

only honesty

(some responses may be shared anonymously in next week’s newsletter, inshaAllah - to inspire others)

May Allah purify our hearts, make our hidden deeds better than our public ones, and grant us sincerity until the last breath

May our actions be done for Him, accepted by Him, and be a light for us on the Day when nothing else benefits us except a sincere heart

Ameen

P.S. I share more like this on Threads and Instagram. Come say Salaam.

until next time - keep your heart soft, your intention sincere, and your connection to Allah alive

مع دعاء (with du’a)

- hidāyah