First: Intention

Deeds are judged by the intentions, as is narrated in his hadīth, peace and blessings be upon him and his progeny. Therefore, the slave has to prepare in his heart and to intend all of what he has done or what he has avoided that they are all done because of a good intention that he wanted to achieve.

The more intentions that one can prepare in one’s heart, the better. For example, one can intend to sit in the mosques because of the merit of the mosque, to take the righteous men as examples, to wait for the prayers, to listen to knowledge, and things alike to this. Therefore, one deed has included many acts of worship because of the intention. {That is the Bounty of Allah which He bestows on whom He wills} (Q. 5:54). And if one could prepare the complete good intention in all of the deeds the was appointed to do and for the preferred deeds—in order to specify at the beginning of every deed, then it shall be more complete and better, or else then he can do this in total. Even if it was done before the deed, as what was mentioned by some of scholars, may Allah have mercy on their souls.