Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Assalamu-Alaykum,
I have learnt that all actions should be done for the ‘pleasure of Allah’, but does this mean that one has to have the exact same phrase in the mind all the time? For instance if one prays for reward, to fulfill a responsibility, or to act on a Sunnah, would it be considered as ‘for the pleasure of Allah’. Also if it is for an action that is done consistently like prayer, does one have to have this phrase all the time. In short, as long as one doesnt show-off (riya) when performing an action is it considered for the ‘pleasure of Allah’ and rewarded accordingly?

Walaikum assalam wa rahmatullah,
What counts in the intention is what is present in the heart. Thus, one’s actions are sincere (i.e. for the sake of Allah) if one could say, “I’m doing this for Allah” if one were to ask oneself, “Why are you doing this.”
However, it is best to stop before each action, and to bring to one’s mind (a) what one is doing; and (b) why one is doing it.
Please search the SunniPath QA (http://qa.sunnipath.com) for related answers. Search for: sincerity and intention.
And Allah alone gives success.
Faraz Rabbani