Niat (intention)

A few sleepless nights already, preparing the paper. Once that is done, now to prepare the slide. My maid is still on holiday in Surabaya, Indonesia, which means tons of house work for me. This would be my first academic talk as a master student on an official university's platform, alongside lecturers. While watering the plants in my garden, I reminded myself. OK Ummu Ilman, this is a platform to share your findings. Not to show off how great or smart you are. Streak of bad thoughts always come across our mind. That's the work of satan. I reminded myself of the first hadith in Sahih Bukhari:

Umar b. al-Khattab narrated that the Prophet (S) said: Deeds are [a result] only of the intentions [of the actor], and an individual is [rewarded] only according to that which he intends. Therefore, whosoever has emigrated for the sake of Allah and His messenger, then his emigration was for Allah and His messenger. Whosoever emigrated for the sake of worldly gain, or a woman [whom he desires] to marry, then his emigration is for the sake of that which [moved him] to emigrate." Narrated by Bukhari and Muslim.

While moving from plant to plant to water them (and there's a lot of plants in my treasured garden), ideas just come across my mind on what aspect to touch on and how best to present my points to make a long lasting effect. Alhamdulillah, praise be to Allah, Allah always ease me in all my endeavors.

Every presenter is given only 15 minutes to present since there are 17 presentations. Everything went on quickly. After I finished mine, surprisingly the audience clapped their hands. The first presentation to receive such respond even though the event was already in the second half. One of the terminology that I coined in my presentation was repeated a few times by a later presenter which meant that I have made a long lasting effect that I wish for. Thank you Allah for enabling me to share a piece of knowledge. All the praises that I received I return it back to Allah by saying "Alhamdulillah, all praises are for Allah". Nothing is possible without your permission, ya Allah.

To have the right niat or intention is always a struggle. Good deeds doesn't always have good intentions. And intentions is paramount in Islam. As the hadith above say Allah will reward us based on out intentions. The fact that it is the first hadith in Sahih bukhari speaks of its upmost importance in Islam. Ya Allah, please help me to always have the righteous intention in all my actions. Ameen.

May Allah bless us all.