Actions Are Judged by Intentions

Introduction: The Heart of Every Action

There is a famous saying that your actions speak larger than your words. The real question that remains unanswered is what is the underlying thought before every action. The heart of every action is tied to the intention that precedes it. The small voice from within that dictates our actions is responsible for all the conclusions and results of life. The Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) in a famous Hadith mentioned that: “Actions are judged by intentions.” The meaning and essence of this saying is that all the rewards we reap in this world depend on the instantaneous thought we get just before following that action. The thoughts come from the heart, and the heart of every action is in the intention that precedes it.

A prominent proverb says you sow what you reap. The intention is the pillar stone of our actions upon which the entire building of life stands either rock steady or dissipates like boiling water in ice cold temperature. Our behavior is a result of the actions we take in our daily lives. In cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), we are taught that thoughts impact emotions and emotions develop actions. This works like a feedback loop in control systems where emotions or feelings create thoughts and thoughts drive actions. A therapist primarily targets negative thoughts and emotions and tries to restructure them into constructive and positive thinking patterns. The session typically occurs biweekly with total therapies lasting two months or less.

I have taken CBT sessions from a well-known clinic in Westmount, Montreal, to help come to terms with recurring and remunerating thoughts about my background from South Asia, to which my Iranian counsellor helped me come to terms with my negative thoughts. The purity of intention and positive thought process before any action results in the best of both worlds and helps one sleep calmly and be mindful of all their deeds.

When Intention Shapes the Meaning of Action

I have been a fortunate person surviving the toughest of situations due to setting my intention straight and clear before my actions. I have survived being kicked out of university and going back to my country in shame and disappointment. I survived months of black depression and solitude due to having a higher purpose of getting education from abroad. As the Messenger (Peace be upon him) dictates: “Seek education even if you have to go to China.” I tried following this saying and although I deviated from the path of learning for a while, I got back on my feet remembering my initial purpose set forth.

A person gets exactly what he made his move of going away from home for. If he went to marry someone, he will marry that person, and if he went for monetary benefits, he will reap financial gains. I went to learn and grow as a person and I got exactly that. All my actions in the way of achieving my aim were stepping stones for the higher aim of post-secondary education. If the end result is a success, the whole journey is a triumph as well.

Intentions in their purest form make the journey feel like an adventure and a path less travelled by. I feel my life is somewhat like the great write-up by Paulo Coelho where every experience and lesson gets one a step closer to the treasure. My story, like Santiago’s, boils down to the truth that if one truly is passionate about something in life, the whole world conspires to help you get to the destination. I found myself lost in the journey just like Santiago, and whenever I felt this was the end, there was either an incident or a person who came by to get myself back on track.

Between Appearance and Authenticity

The virtue of the contemporary era revolves around performance and acts recorded on camera rather than authenticity and pureness of intention. We observe in our daily life how people pretend to act like they are helping the poor and the elderly while in actuality they are just recording it for views and subscribers on social media. People want to show off a good side of themselves but in actuality it is just a stunt and performance-based social work. The actions of such fake people put the good souls in the shadow and all we see and hear are video gamers and gamblers showing a soft side towards the poor when in reality they are nothing but pretending.

People act to be religious as well in order to earn appreciation and recognition, especially here in South Asia. In Pakistan, we encounter in our daily lives people explaining how much of the Quran they read, when they prayed their last prayer, and how many times they have made a pilgrimage to the holy places. The acts done and the intention behind them is to show people how much religious they are and that other people have something to learn from them. On the contrary, the people with good intention are often judged based on their lack of action in religious duties and are put to shame for not doing enough.

The question I ask myself goes by: Who are they to judge intentions and actions? I am then reminded of the fact that God is All-hearing and All-seeing. We are not subject to the judgment and applied reasoning of other humans based on their self-projection.

East and West: Different Paths to the Same Truth

Throughout history, both Eastern and Western traditions have recognized the moral centrality of intention. The Eastern philosophy, especially Islamic tradition, focuses on the spiritual reward of any act. A simple act done in sincerity is accepted in divine eyes, whereas a prayer for display will be returned to the hypocrite instead of reaping its reward.

In Western philosophy, Immanuel Kant’s concept of goodwill reflects on the same underlying principle that good without qualification is the will guided by moral duty, not by self-interest. The Austrian survivor of the Holocaust, Viktor Frankl, wrote that purpose gives meaning even in suffering. The “why” is more important than the “how,” and it beautifully captures the strength of pure intention. The great minds of the twentieth century had their “why” set crystal clear from the beginning, which helped them grind their way to the top with a warrior spirit.

Intentions and Power in Global Affairs

On a global scale, intentions often separate justice from hypocrisy. Many nations claim to act for peace but pursue power. The onset of the twenty-first century has seen global powers pursuing wars fought under the banner of freedom yet fueled by greed and control. Intention reveals truth where policies cannot.

The current affairs in Pakistan and its neighbors also depict the fact that the establishment is fueled with hypocrisy and double games where terrorists are used again and again to have control over the region, yet they state to the public that the War on Terrorism is being fought to drive them out. The essence is that they do it for financial gains and always want the powers within them instead of having democratic processes to follow through.

The global response to Gaza exposes this duality. Students across North America stood in solidarity for humanity while powerful governments chose silence. I witnessed the protests and saw the tears and pain from people of all races and backgrounds. The unanimous voice of these protestors speaks volumes for the common good in people, and they genuinely and intrinsically want good for children and the oppressed.

Even in South Asia, history shows that a leader’s legacy depends not merely on results but on perceived intention. A leader who acts with honesty and conviction may falter in politics but remains eternal in the hearts of people. History forgives mistakes, but it never forgives deceit. The deception found in South Asian countries is unimaginable by Western democratic citizens fighting for increases in salaries and rising housing prices.

Personal Lessons from Everyday Life

There have been moments in my life when my intentions transformed how I saw my actions. My intention to help other citizens helped me in achieving my financial as well as long-term goals. Every job I underwent was driven by the fact that I had to help others if they felt lost or needed guidance. I have worked as a career counsellor for a high-end school in Lahore, where I helped students take their university decisions and guided them with their career choices. I started a business for immigration consultancy where I aided people in making their decision of moving abroad and assisted them with their choice of country.

In my everyday life, I long for a higher purpose and attach myself to people with a shared cause of helping the poor and supporting a political and social cause. My decisions revolve around these ambitions and I genuinely feel a euphoria helping people set up a business or find a job in their dream company.

When Purity Becomes Power

Pure intention is power in its quietest form. The intention of Pakistan’s most popular leader, Imran Khan, was that he did not want the poor to undergo the expensive cancer treatment his mother received and later succumbed to. He built a cancer hospital that provides free treatment for the needy for the past thirty years. He made a party with the slogan of justice and has been fighting a corrupt and decaying system for decades. He is still in jail living in the worst jail conditions, all due to the fact that he genuinely believes in his mission and has the purity of intention.

The movements throughout history, from the civil rights movement in America to the youth-driven revolution in Bangladesh, show that the thing that united people was not privilege or politics but the sincerity of cause. The leaders that are driven by greed fade quickly, whereas those driven by compassion become immortal. A pure intention breathes life into leadership, art, innovation, and activism.

Conclusion: The Heart as the True Judge

History has shown that actions without sincerity collapse under their own weight, while those rooted in honesty endure beyond generations. From the teachings of the Holy Prophet (Peace be upon him) to the reflections of Kant and Frankl, the message remains the same.

In the end, what defines us is not what we achieved in life or how much money we have in our bank account, but the truth of our intentions. The houses and property we built are left for others to enjoy and reap benefits. Intentions form the unseen architecture of our moral selves. The intention to choose between right and wrong is given to us in each passing moment. Our actions dictate what choice we were given and the decision we enacted.

Author’s Note

The inspiration to write on the subject of intentions came from moments of deep personal reflection and the quiet realization that what drives us often matters more than what we achieve. Having lived and studied across continents, I have seen how intentions shape people, policies, and even nations. Whether in Montreal or Lahore, in classrooms or protests, I have witnessed that sincerity of purpose gives life a meaning beyond recognition or reward. This essay is a reflection on the power of intention which define not just our actions but the very essence of who we are.