Good intentions are important, but for a reward, they must be accompanied by action.
In the Holy Quran, good intentions and righteous actions are intricately linked; one complements the other. In one verse from Surah Al-Baqarah, Allah states: "And whatever good you put forth for yourselves, you will find it with Allah. Indeed, Allah is All-Seer of what you do" (Al-Baqarah: 110). This verse indicates that every good deed a person performs is rewarded by Allah. However, the Quran emphasizes that intention must culminate in action. Simply having a good intention alone does not guarantee someone a reward; righteous deeds must accompany it. In a hadith of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), it is mentioned, "Actions are judged by intentions, and every person will get what they intended." This means that deeds are measured based on intentions, and each person attains the outcome of their intentions. Therefore, if someone has a good intention but is unable to carry it out due to circumstances or inability, Allah forgives them and rewards them for the mere good intention. Yet, if the good intention is followed by action, the reward will be multiplied. In summary, while good intentions are of great importance, without action they cannot solely lead to a reward.
And whatever good you put forth for yourselves, you will find it with Allah. Indeed, Allah is All-Seer of what you do.
One day, a man encountered a child playing in the street. He asked, "Why don’t you want to play with me?" The child replied, "I don’t know what to do, but I have a good intention." The man smiled and said, "A good intention is nice, but to play, we must do something. Now that you have the intention, let’s play together!" The man then taught the child how to play together, and that day became a joyful one for both.