Discussion on verbalizing the intention, that it is not part of forming the intention in advance, and that it is an innovation.

The questioner : ... .

The Shaykh : No, the intentions in all acts of worship reside in the heart, and every Muslim who cares about following the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) must know this. What the majority of Muslims today, and before today, have become accustomed to, and what is established in the books of Islamic jurisprudence, is that verbalizing the intention is a recommended practice (sunnah) according to some, and others say that in some marginal notes and commentaries, interpreting the author's statement under the heading "Sunnahs of Prayer," they count verbalizing the intention as the first item listed. The researchers and investigators come along and find no absolute verbalization of the intention of prayer in the Sunnah of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). So what do they do with the statement of this author, who is an imam among the imams of the school or a scholar among the scholars of the school, who includes verbalizing the intention under the heading of the Sunnahs of Prayer? They are forced to take the path of figurative interpretation (ta'wil); and this is undoubtedly more just than explicit, open error in terms of the etiquette of some with others, even though we see that this, while beautiful from one aspect, is not beautiful from another aspect, which is speaking the truth; because some of them say in interpreting their statement "sunnah" that it means the sunnah of the shaykhs. The sunnah of the shaykhs, yes. This interpretation, in my understanding of the issue, is like the common proverb that says: "We were under the rain and we became under the gutter!!" Meaning, we were in error in attributing to the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) that verbalizing the intention is from the Sunnah; this is an error, but a partial error. But this interpretation, which is like a patch, has opened up a great deal for us; which is that there is the Sunnah of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) and there is the sunnah of the shaykhs. Do the shaykhs also legislate for the people?! This is not permissible, but this is from the ill effects of figurative interpretation (ta'wil) and not being frank with the truth. It was possible for this commentator or that annotator to say: It is not established, as Ibn al-Qayyim says in "Zad al-Ma'ad" and others: It is not established from the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), nor from the Salaf, nor from the four imams, that verbalizing the intention is a sunnah. And the problem would be ended. And who is there that does not err? Allah has decreed that nothing is completed except His Book.
Therefore, verbalizing the intentions in all acts of obedience and worship is from the innovations that have crept into the religion. So if you stand to pray, do not say: "I intend to pray for Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) four, three, or two rak'ahs, as a follower, alone, or as an imam." All of this is idle talk, especially when you are directly facing your Lord of the worlds, standing before Him, expressing your intention to Him, while He knows the secret and what is even more hidden. Rather, it is obligatory for you to begin your worship and your prayer with "Allahu Akbar." It has come in "Sahih Muslim" from the hadith of the Lady Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to begin his prayer with "Allahu Akbar," with the takbir. So we begin our prayer with an innovation, and he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: .
On this occasion, I want to remind you; I recently read in a book by some of our brothers that says regarding some innovations that the least that can be said about this innovation is that it is contrary to what is preferable. I do not have this specific innovation in mind right now, and I do not see that our Salafi brothers should be lenient in expressing any innovation, no matter how it appears easy and without danger on the surface. I do not see that they should say about it that it is contrary to what is preferable; because the Messenger says: , and this generalization has not been restricted. It is true that the misguidances are not of the same degree, but the least of them is misguidance, and misguidance is not said to be contrary to what is preferable. Therefore, this verbalizing of the intention with which we begin the prayer is actually beginning the prayer with misguidance, whereas what was obligatory for us to begin the prayer with was the takbir of Allah (Mighty and Majestic).
Likewise, fasting, which is what we are currently dealing with, and that it is obligatory to form the intention in advance for the obligatory fast and for Ramadan. The meaning of forming the intention in advance is not that the person says with his tongue and his heart: "I intend to fast tomorrow for Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He)." No, say it in your heart only, realize that you are fasting, and realize that you are determined to fast tomorrow; this is the intention. Likewise, in the ablution, the person does not say: "I intend to remove the minor state of ritual impurity," and in the case of major ritual impurity: "to remove the major state of ritual impurity." All of this is nonsense. To whom are you saying this? To yourself? You know what is in your heart. To your Lord? He knows you better than you know yourself. So following your Prophet? Your Prophet was not doing any of this at all. So verbalizing the intention in all areas of worship is a matter for which Allah has not sent down any authority.
In Hajj as well, and this may be hidden from some people; in Hajj, it is mentioned in the books of rituals: "I intend Hajj and 'Umrah for Allah." This is from this category. It is not correct to say: "I intend" at all. Rather, you respond with the talbiyah: "Labbayk Allahumma 'Umrah, Labbayk Allahumma Hajjatan wa 'Umrah" according to your intention. As for "I intend," this is idle talk. Rather, you say: "Labbayk Allahumma 'Umrah, Labbayk Allahumma Hajjatan wa 'Umrah" according to what you are determined to do, whether Hajj or 'Umrah. So this authentic hadith indicates the obligatoriness of forming the intention in advance for fasting, but this fasting is specified for the fasting of Ramadan and the obligatory fast, such as a vow, for example. This is evidenced by the hadith of Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) which we referred to earlier, and which is the first lesson of our next session, if Allah wills. And this is sufficient, and praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds.