Is it obligatory to renew the intention when commencing any act for which the intention has already been made previously, i.e., in the details of this act?
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The questioner : He says: Noble Shaykh, is it obligatory to renew the intention when commencing any act for which the intention has already been made previously, i.e., in the details of this act?
The Shaykh : How?
The questioner : He says: Is it obligatory to renew the intention when commencing any act for which the intention has already been made previously, i.e., in the details of this act?
The Shaykh : Yes, the correct view is that the intention is not required for the details of the act in any case, even in acts where each part is separate from the others. This is because the intended act is divided into two categories: a category where it is not possible for some of it to be separated from some, such as the prayer. In this case, one intention at the beginning is sufficient. Therefore, if you enter into the prayer, are you required to intend the bowing, prostration, standing, and sitting? It is not required. If you enter into the prayer, you are intending the entire prayer. If you enter into the ablution, do we say: it is obligatory to intend a separate intention for each limb? No. The second category is what is independent in some of the worship from some, such as Hajj, for example. Hajj includes entering the state of ihram, circumambulation, walking between al-Safa and al-Marwah, and standing at 'Arafah. Is it required to intend each part of it, or is the first intention sufficient? Most scholars hold that it is required to intend each part with its own intention. So if you entered the state of ihram for 'Umrah and walked and performed circumambulation without intending the circumambulation specifically, these scholars hold that the circumambulation is not valid because you did not intend it. Others hold that the circumambulation is valid even if you did not intend it, saying: this circumambulation is a part of the worship, so it is like the bowing in the prayer and the prostration in the prayer. This is closer to the truth, because Hajj and 'Umrah are one worship. But there is no doubt that if a person wants to do something, he must intend it. What happens is that a person may be negligent or distracted. But without negligence or distraction, he must intend it. Yes.
The Shaykh : How?
The questioner : He says: Is it obligatory to renew the intention when commencing any act for which the intention has already been made previously, i.e., in the details of this act?
The Shaykh : Yes, the correct view is that the intention is not required for the details of the act in any case, even in acts where each part is separate from the others. This is because the intended act is divided into two categories: a category where it is not possible for some of it to be separated from some, such as the prayer. In this case, one intention at the beginning is sufficient. Therefore, if you enter into the prayer, are you required to intend the bowing, prostration, standing, and sitting? It is not required. If you enter into the prayer, you are intending the entire prayer. If you enter into the ablution, do we say: it is obligatory to intend a separate intention for each limb? No. The second category is what is independent in some of the worship from some, such as Hajj, for example. Hajj includes entering the state of ihram, circumambulation, walking between al-Safa and al-Marwah, and standing at 'Arafah. Is it required to intend each part of it, or is the first intention sufficient? Most scholars hold that it is required to intend each part with its own intention. So if you entered the state of ihram for 'Umrah and walked and performed circumambulation without intending the circumambulation specifically, these scholars hold that the circumambulation is not valid because you did not intend it. Others hold that the circumambulation is valid even if you did not intend it, saying: this circumambulation is a part of the worship, so it is like the bowing in the prayer and the prostration in the prayer. This is closer to the truth, because Hajj and 'Umrah are one worship. But there is no doubt that if a person wants to do something, he must intend it. What happens is that a person may be negligent or distracted. But without negligence or distraction, he must intend it. Yes.