Bismillaahir-Rahmaanir-Raheem
Intention (an-Niyyah) is pivotal to actions thus when it is affected the action will be affected too.
The Messenger of Allaah ï·º said:
إنما الأعمال بالنيات وإنما لكل امرئ ما نوى
'Actions are based on intention, every person will be rewarded according to his intention...' (Al-Bukhaaree and Muslim).
Among what can spoil an otherwise good intention is craving for fame (hubb dhuhoor) and loving to shoot up oneself (hubb tasaddur) among many other ailments of the heart.
So one has to be always on guard as far as intention is concerned.
It is a continuous battle. Only a foolish person will think he/she has conquered their intention.
Sufyaan ath-Thauree - rahimahullaah - said:
ما عالجت شيئا أشد علىَّ من نيتي
'I have never fought anything as tough on me as my intention.' (Tadhkirah of Ibn Jama'ah p.68).
That was Al-Imaam Sufyaan - rahimahullaah! One of the foremost figures in Islam.
Our learning must therefore be for Allaah, the Most High. Anything short of that is loss in the Herafter.
No doubt, the whispers of Shaytaan will always creep into our intention. Just fight them and fire on.
Do not give in to Shaytaan. He wants you to give in.
Al-Imaam Ad-Daaruqutnee - rahimahullaah - said:
طلبنا العلم لغير الله Ùأبى أن يكون إلا لله
'We sought knowledge not for Allaah but knowledge refused but to be for Allaah.' (Tadhkirah p.47).
The meaning is that when you are persistent in learning, you will eventually earn Allaah's pleasure even when some dirty thoughts creep in because knowledge has that self-cleansing mechanism in it. You will always come across what tells you to clean your intention.
Though some people might fail and fall. Those are the people who have never been sincere in their quest for knowledge. Shaytaan eventually conquered them.
Allaah's aid is sought against the plots of Shaytaan.
