, or only their validity, or only their sufficiency in discharging an obligation,” and the like.

The majority, however, said:

Rather, the hadith retains its apparent meaning and general scope. The intentions mentioned in it are not confined to righteous deeds alone; rather, it encompasses praiseworthy and blameworthy intentions, and praiseworthy and blameworthy deeds. Hence, he said later in the hadith:

“So whoever’s migration is to Allah and His Messenger…”

Thus, he mentioned the praiseworthy intention of migrating solely to Allah and His Messenger, and the blameworthy intention of migrating for a woman or wealth. He gave these details after first stating the general principle:

“Deeds depend solely on intentions, and each person shall have only what he intended.”

Then he explained this in detail by saying:

“So whoever’s migration…”

It has been reported that the occasion for this hadith was that a man migrated from Mecca to Medina for the sake of a woman he loved, named Umm Qays. Since he migrated for her sake, he became known as “the emigrant of Umm Qays.” Hence, the hadith mentions “or a woman to marry”—or, in another narration, “to wed.” A woman was specifically mentioned because the occasion of the hadith called for it. And Allah knows best.

By unanimous agreement, the particular occasion that gave rise to a generally worded statement cannot be excluded from its scope. Outwardly, migration is travel from one place to another. Travel is a general category comprising various kinds, which differ according to the traveller’s intention. It may be obligatory, as with Hajj or jihad that is an individual obligation; or it may be forbidden, such as an aggressor’s journey to commit robbery on