“Many a small deed is made great by its intention, and many a great deed is made small by its intention.”

‘Abdullah ibn al-Mubarak (118–181 AH / 736–797 CE) was a hadith scholar, a merchant and a fighter on the frontier, famous for giving his wealth away. Ibn Rajab quotes this in his commentary on the hadith “actions are only by intentions,” just after another early saying: “whoever wants his deed to be complete, let him make his intention good, for Allah rewards a servant for a good intention — even for a morsel of food.”