he intended to reach. Some people, however, say that intention is narrower in scope than will: a person’s will may concern his own actions or those of another, whereas his intention concerns only his own actions. Thus, you may say, “I wanted such-and-such from so-and-so,” but not, “I intended such-and-such from so-and-so.”

Section

People have differed over the Prophet’s statement, may Allah bless him and grant him peace:

“Deeds depend solely on intentions.”

Does it contain an ellipsis, or is its scope restricted? Or does it retain its apparent meaning and general scope?

A group of later scholars adopted the first view. They said that what is meant by “intentions” is the obligatory or recommended acts prescribed by religious law, and that not all deeds require these intentions to be valid. When obligations are fulfilled by returning usurped property, borrowed items and deposits, or by repaying debts, the person fulfilling them is discharged of liability even if he has no religiously prescribed intention in doing so. Indeed, he may be discharged of liability without any action on his part—for example, if the rightful owner takes possession of his very property, or if the wind carries a garment that was deposited for safekeeping or usurped and drops it into its owner’s hands, and similar cases.

Some of these scholars then said that the implied wording is: “The reward accruing from deeds depends solely on intentions,” or, “Deeds are accepted only with intentions.” Others said that the implied wording is: “Only acts prescribed by religious law