What is the ruling on one who entered the 'Asr prayer intending it to be the Zuhr prayer, thinking that he had not prayed the Zuhr, and then it became clear to him that he had already prayed the Zuhr? Does he change his intention?
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The questioner : A man prayed intending it to be the 'Asr prayer, and then during the prayer he remembered that he had prayed the Zuhr.
The Shaykh : That he had not prayed the Zuhr.
The questioner : That he had prayed the Zuhr, and he was praying intending it to be the Zuhr. He prayed during the time of 'Asr intending it to be the Zuhr, and then he remembered that he had prayed the Zuhr.
The Shaykh : Meaning, thinking that he had not prayed the Zuhr.
The questioner : Thinking that he had not prayed the Zuhr.
The Shaykh : Then?
The questioner : Then, does he change his intention during the prayer?
The Shaykh : We say: He does not change his intention. If he entered the prayer intending it to be the Zuhr, and then he remembered that he had already prayed it and wanted to convert it to the 'Asr, that is not permissible. Rather, he completes it as a voluntary prayer. He completes it with the intention of a voluntary prayer, and then he prays the 'Asr anew. This is because it is not possible to include two intentions in one action. Now, let me clarify this for you. For example, if he had prayed two rak'ahs intending them to be the Zuhr, and then he remembered and said, "I want to make them the 'Asr," how much of the 'Asr has he prayed?
He has not prayed anything but half of the prayer, because only what corresponds to his intention is counted for him. So the rule for us is: "Whoever moves from a specific prayer to a specific prayer, the first is invalid and the second does not become valid". This is the rule. Meaning, if one moves from the Zuhr to the 'Asr, the Zuhr is invalid because he nullified it, and the 'Asr does not become valid because he did not intend it anew.
The Shaykh : That he had not prayed the Zuhr.
The questioner : That he had prayed the Zuhr, and he was praying intending it to be the Zuhr. He prayed during the time of 'Asr intending it to be the Zuhr, and then he remembered that he had prayed the Zuhr.
The Shaykh : Meaning, thinking that he had not prayed the Zuhr.
The questioner : Thinking that he had not prayed the Zuhr.
The Shaykh : Then?
The questioner : Then, does he change his intention during the prayer?
The Shaykh : We say: He does not change his intention. If he entered the prayer intending it to be the Zuhr, and then he remembered that he had already prayed it and wanted to convert it to the 'Asr, that is not permissible. Rather, he completes it as a voluntary prayer. He completes it with the intention of a voluntary prayer, and then he prays the 'Asr anew. This is because it is not possible to include two intentions in one action. Now, let me clarify this for you. For example, if he had prayed two rak'ahs intending them to be the Zuhr, and then he remembered and said, "I want to make them the 'Asr," how much of the 'Asr has he prayed?
He has not prayed anything but half of the prayer, because only what corresponds to his intention is counted for him. So the rule for us is: "Whoever moves from a specific prayer to a specific prayer, the first is invalid and the second does not become valid". This is the rule. Meaning, if one moves from the Zuhr to the 'Asr, the Zuhr is invalid because he nullified it, and the 'Asr does not become valid because he did not intend it anew.