What is your intention when you recite the Qur’an? The Prophet () said,

“Actions are to be judged only by intentions and a man will have only what he intended” ¹

Having great intentions was the way through which the Sahaba (may Allah be pleased with them), the sincere worshipers of Allah () and the scholars sought reward from Allah () They used to have multiple intentions for one action in order to acquire a great reward for every action. Ibn Katheer (may Allah have mercy on him) said,

“The intention reaches further than the action”.

Here are some intentions that are good for us to make when we are reciting the noble Qur’an:

1. We should recite the Qur’an and ask Allah () to make it intercede on our behalf because the Prophet () said,

“Read the Qur’an, for it will come as an intercessor for its reciters on the Day of Resurrection” ²

2. We should have an intention for the increase of our good deeds because the Prophet () said,

“Whoever recites a letter from the Book of Allah, he will be credited with a good deed, and a good deed gets a ten-fold reward” ³

3. We should seek salvation from the Fire by reciting the Qur’an. The Prophet (), said,

“If the Qur’an was put in a skin it would not be burnt by the fire” ⁴

4.  We should seek to fill our hearts with the Qur’an. The Prophet () said,

“ Indeed, the one who does not have the Qur’an inside him (his heart), is like the ruined house.” ⁵

5. We should have the intention to act upon each verse that we recite in the Qur’an so that we may attain the most elevated statuses in Paradise because the Prophet  () said,

“It shall be said – to the one who memorized the Qur’an – “Recite, and rise up, recite (melodiously) as you would recite in the world. For indeed your rank shall be at the last Ayah you recited” ⁶

6. When reciting the Qur’an we should intend that Allah () cures the diseases of our hearts and bodies. We should also intend that Allah’s mercy descends upon us because of our recital. Allah the Exalted says,

“And We send down from the Quran that which is a healing and a mercy” ⁷

7. We should intend to have tranquility because Allah () says,

“Verily, in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find rest” ⁸

8. We should intend that the Qur’an should become the life of our hearts, the light of our sights, the cause for the departure of our sadness and worries, like the Prophet () said in his supplication,

“O Allah make the Qur’an the spring of my heart, the light of my chest and sight, the departure of my sadness and sorrow” ⁹.

9. We should intend that the Qur’an becomes a cause for our guidance. Allah, the Exalted says,

“This is the Book about which there is no doubt, a guidance for those conscious of Allah” ¹⁰