When it comes to recognising the importance of niyyah (intention), this specific hadith always comes to mind:
مَن طَلَبَ الشَّهادَةَ صادِقًا، أُعْطِيَها، ولو لَمْ تُصِبْهُ.
“Whosoever asks for martyrdom sincerely shall be granted its reward, even if he does not achieve it.” [Sahīh Muslim 1908]
One thing we can learn from this hadith, is how crucial ikhlaas - sincerity, is. If you are sincere with Allah, He will grant you the reward of martyrdom even if you died in your bed, even if your feet never got dusty in His path.
People leave their beloved, lose their limbs, go through starvation and injuries and countless horrors in the Cause of Allah before they attain martyrdom in His path. So how can someone who's never faced any of that be granted the same reward?
Because we can ask Allah and make dua all we want for the rest of our lives, but Allah knows what's in our hearts. Allah knows for whom shahadah is a far-fetched dream and a lip service, and for whom it is a lifelong effort to achieve it. Allah knows the hearts that constantly yearn for it, the hearts that are always ready to jump on the caravan. Allah knows the feet that walk to work and the hands that are engaged in worldly things but their biggest concerns are those of the ummah and the aakhirah. Allah knows the grief and longing that rips them apart. The guilt and regret that eats at them.
Because sincerity is not lip service. Sincerity is doing every little thing to please Allah because Allah only handpicks those and grants the rizq of shahadah to those whom He is pleased with. Sincerity is your whole lifestyle, it is your whole mindset. Sincerity is actions, sincerity is the state of your heart that no one but Allah knows. And you cannot intend if you are not sincere, and your intention cannot have determination if you are not sincere.
A sincere dua to Allah can move mountains, it can create mountains that did not exist, it can crumble the sturdiest of mountains.
In these blessed days, make dua to Allah with sincerity for everything you've ever wanted. For what you want the most. Ask Allah for the impossible,
Because He is the Lord of the impossible.
اللهم اجعلنا من عبادك المخلصين، آمين.