Worship without intention is ineffective because sincerity of intention is essential and elevates the value of worship.
In the Holy Quran, the significance of intention in worship is heavily emphasized. Since worship is fundamentally a spiritual and heartfelt act, without sincere intention, the impact of this action will be diminished. Allah states in the Quran: 'And they were not commanded except to worship Allah, [being] sincere to Him in religion.' (Surah Al-Bayyina, 98:5), illustrating that worship should be performed sincerely for Allah. It is this sincerity of intention that elevates the worth of worship. Furthermore, a saying of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) highlights that actions are judged by intentions; thus, the value of each action depends on the intent behind it. For instance, if someone prays with the intention only to show off to others, that prayer lacks spiritual worth. The purity of intention implies that one must focus solely on God, without distractions from worldly affairs. Additionally, in Surah Al-Imran, verse 162, it states: 'Is he who follows the pleasure of Allah like one who brings upon himself the wrath of Allah?' which emphasizes the superiority of those who maintain sincerity in their worship. Therefore, worship without a pure intention is ineffective and essentially an incomplete act that cannot elevate a person to a state of spiritual excellence.
And they were not commanded except to worship Allah, [being] sincere to Him in religion.
Is he who follows the pleasure of Allah like one who brings upon himself the wrath of Allah?
One day in a village, a man named Ehsan was engaged in worship but felt that it was not impactful. He decided to go to the village scholar to ask him about it. The scholar told him: 'Ehsan, worship without sincere intention is like a tree without roots. You must purify your intention and worship solely for the pleasure of Allah.' Ehsan followed this advice and after some time, found a strange sense of peace and joy in his life.