with Allah Almighty for every step he took on his way to the mosque and on his return from it. Some people said to him, “Why do you not buy a donkey to ride in the darkness and in the blistering heat?”—that is, during the dark hours of night for the ʿIshāʾ and Fajr prayers, or in the sweltering midday sun when the heat is most intense, especially in the Hijaz where the climate is hot. He replied, “It would not please me for my house to be next to the mosque.” In other words, he was content that his home was far away, so that he would reach the mosque step by step and return step by step; it would not delight him to live close by, for then those steps would not be recorded for him. He clarified that he was seeking his reward from Allah for every step, both when going to the mosque and when coming back. The Prophet ﷺ then said, “He shall have whatever he has intended.”

This is clear evidence that taking many steps to the mosques is one of the pathways to goodness, and that when a person seeks reward from Allah, Allah records that reward for him both on his way to the mosque and on his way back. There is no doubt that intention has a profound effect on the validity of deeds and on their reward. Two people may pray side by side, yet the difference between their rewards can be like the distance between heaven and earth—such is the result of a sound intention and righteous action. The more sincere a person is toward Allah and the more closely he follows the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, the greater and more abundant his reward will be with Allah Almighty. Allah alone grants success.