There Are No Bad Intentions: A Theory Worth Contemplating
Is it true that all intentions are good and that only actions can be judged? A philosophical theory worth contemplating in light of the Quran and the words of philosophers.
This post is a translation of the original Arabic article.
My brother Ahmad Al-Shugairi posted a tweet about a famous saying by the renowned French philosopher Henri-Louis Bergson:
"Think like a man of action... Act like a man of thought"
This saying stirred in me an old topic I had debated with friends several times. The idea speaks about good intention and the claim that bad intentions simply do not exist, and that behind every act lies a good intention.
The debate among us was heated because the idea is difficult to grasp. You can understand it in general terms, but when you try to apply it you fall into confusion between intention and action.
The Idea in Simple Terms
It is said that there are no bad intentions — they are all good! But an action may be good or it may be bad, and the end does not justify the means. This means a person can have a good intention while committing a bad act. The four possible relationships between intention and action are:
- Good intention and good action
- Good intention and bad action
- Bad intention and good action (does not exist according to the theory)
- Bad intention and bad action (does not exist according to the theory)
Intention in Islam
Many philosophers have written on the subject of intention, and both Christianity and Islam have addressed it. In fact, the issue of intention occupies a prominent place in Islam. The most famous hadith of the Prophet, peace be upon him, is: "Indeed, actions are judged by intentions." This hadith is said to be the gateway to all Islamic sciences. Imam Al-Shafi'i, may God have mercy on him, said: "This hadith is one-third of knowledge; it enters into seventy chapters of jurisprudence, and it leaves no argument for the deceitful, the harmful, or the conniving until they meet Allah."
What Dr. Salah Al-Rashed Said
Dr. Salah Al-Rashed discussed in more than one session questions around intention, its definition, its origins, and the difference between it and desire and wish. He then addressed the idea of good intention behind every act:
"Every war in the world was launched with a good intention! A kind intention. A good intention does not necessarily produce a good thing. Most of the evil people do comes from good intentions, not bad ones! Those who bomb, who kill the innocent, who shed blood, their intention is to serve their religion! And please their Lord! This person kills and sheds blood and harms God's creation — all with the intention of pleasing his Lord."
"A good intention is not evidence of a good result. We do not get good results because our intentions are good. A good result requires more than a good intention. If a good intention were sufficient to produce good results, you would see believers as the wealthiest, purest, most knowledgeable, and best of people — and that is not necessarily the case."
Examples from History
Hitler, despite the horror of his actions, wanted to reform Germany. Al-Hajjaj wanted to unify the state by killing Abdullah ibn al-Zubayr. The killer wants to avenge his father, the thief wants to survive, and the bribe-taker wants wealth. Notice that seeking reform, unity, vengeance, a comfortable living, and wealth are all legitimate and natural desires that many people share. We know that Abu Bakr Al-Siddiq sought to unify the state against the apostates, and that God legislated retaliation through organized Qisas.
Unfortunately, using good intentions as an excuse to justify mistakes or bad acts has become common. How many people do something wrong and excuse themselves by saying their intentions were good! Note that we should not hold people accountable for their intentions but for their actions, because intentions belong to the knowledge of God Almighty, who alone looks at the purpose behind deeds.
The Quran speaks of this: "He is aware of what is in the hearts" and also: "Say: Shall We tell you who are the greatest losers? Those whose efforts go astray in the life of this world, while they think they are doing good."
And among the wonders of this subject is that God can transform ordinary acts into worship for which a person is rewarded, simply by changing one's intention, as in the hadith of the Prophet, peace be upon him: "And in one of you having relations with his spouse there is a charity."
Questions for Reflection
- How do we explain evil acts such as crimes, theft, killing, and other bad deeds?
- How do we explain the reward of the sincere scholar who errs versus the one who is correct, and why is he rewarded for both?
- How do we explain the man who is forgiven for attending a gathering of knowledge when he had no intention of benefiting from it?
- How do you explain the transformation of daily habits and ordinary acts into good deeds simply by redirecting one's intention toward a righteous purpose?
- Among the more complex questions: the acts of Al-Khidr recorded in Surah Al-Kahf, in the incident of killing the boy and boring a hole in the ship!
Further reading:
