Section Two: Concerning the Aims of the Responsible Agent in Matters of Legal Duty
It comprises several issues.
First issue: “Actions are only by intentions,” and purposes are taken into consideration in every form of conduct, whether devotional or customary. The evidences for this principle are beyond counting, but it suffices to note that intentions distinguish what is mere habit from what is worship; and within worship they separate what is obligatory from what is non-obligatory.
In the realm of custom they likewise differentiate what is obligatory, recommended, permissible, disliked, prohibited, valid, or invalid. One and the same act may, if done for a certain purpose, be worship, yet if done for another purpose, it ceases to be so.
Human actions fall into two categories: customary acts and devotional acts.
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Customary acts do not require a specific intention for compliance; their mere performance is sufficient—such as returning deposits or usurped property, providing maintenance for one’s wife, and similar duties.
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Devotional acts, on the other hand, do require an intention.
Any action that lies within a person’s volitional control becomes an act of worship only when he intends it as such. As for acts that are instituted in their very nature as worship—prayer, pilgrimage, and the like—there is no dispute about this; but customary acts do not attain the status of worship without intention.
The responsible person’s aim in his deed must accord with the Lawgiver’s aim in legislating that deed: the Lawgiver intends of the accountable person that his purpose in acting be in harmony with His purpose in