We are either thinking about the things we do, or just reacting as we go through our day. Intention is a very powerful thing, and we have to question ourselves as to do we actually intend the things we do, or do we just do them? How does our day progress and what kind of input do we have into how our day goes? Have we set intentions for what we should do, or do we just do?
The Sufis, especially the more modern ones, talk about the robotic life. The robotic life is when a man simply reacts to his outside circumstances; there’s no forethought, there’s just reaction. So we live a life that’s essentially controlled by what happens outside of ourselves. This happens, we do that. That happens, this is our reaction. There’s no inner forethought as to why we do things.
We need to establish a central core of intention, and this core of intention should guide us as to our daily deeds. What is it that we’re going to allow ourselves to do, and what is it that we’re not going to allow ourselves to do? For instance: the simple act of eating, if you’re observant to the rules of what you are allowed to and what you are not allowed to eat, requires intention. If you have decided not to eat pork for instance, you have created an intention inside of yourself that says, “I don’t do this.” And I’m sure all of you are aware of when you made that decision, or how that decision was made, and how that intention that was set up a long time ago remains with you, and you don’t violate that intention.
Now if we can do that with the way we eat, can we do that with the other things in our lives? Can we set intentions as to our behavior? Can we set intentions as to our prayer? Can we set intentions as to our meditation? Can we set intentions as to our relationships with other people? Can we set an intention to stay in a state of love, and can we set an intention to be constantly forgiving? Can we set intentions as to our emotional state, or do we become overwhelmed by circumstances?
So on one side we have intention, on the other side we have circumstances. Now if we are without intention, there’s no question, circumstances will overwhelm us because we haven’t thought through how it is we want to be; we haven’t given ourselves intention.
In the Book of Hadith, which are the sayings, or the acts, of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), the first Hadith is about setting intentions. So we should know that before you act there is an intention, and that intention can be to either act in a certain way, or not care about the results that are going to happen, and that are going to come out of our actions. That, by the way, is an intention; you have an intention not to care. You have an intention that things will happen as they happen, and we’ll deal with it afterwards.
There are Hadith that say you have to visit the sick, and it is an obligation to visit the sick. But how about if somebody you don’t like is sick, does that give you a pass on that obligation, or is your intention to do what’s appropriate strong enough to overcome your animosity?
There’s the story of a man and a woman who were neighbors of the Prophet’s…
