Now, is it not permissible for him to say before the ablution: “O Allah, I intend to remove the state of ritual impurity for such-and-such prayer, and so on and so on”?
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The questioner : Now, is it not permissible for him to say before the ablution: “O Allah, I intend to remove the state of ritual impurity for such-and-such prayer, and so on and so on”?
The Shaykh : This is referred to as speaking the intention.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Or vocalizing the intention, which is a religious innovation. This is because it was not the way of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) to speak the intention in any of the acts of worship, and the best of guidance is the guidance of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). Furthermore, the intention is between you and Allah, and Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) does not need to be informed of what you intend, for He knows the secret and what is even more hidden. He knows the treachery of the eyes and what the breasts conceal.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : If we were to say that you speak the intention, we would also have to say that you say: “O Allah, I intend to perform the ablution, so I will wash my face, wash my hands, wipe my head, wash my feet, and go to prayer, and so on.”
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Yes, indeed.
The questioner : The last question in our session; let us limit it to the ablution, even if he has questions about dry ablution with clean earth.
The Shaykh : This is referred to as speaking the intention.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Or vocalizing the intention, which is a religious innovation. This is because it was not the way of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) to speak the intention in any of the acts of worship, and the best of guidance is the guidance of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). Furthermore, the intention is between you and Allah, and Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) does not need to be informed of what you intend, for He knows the secret and what is even more hidden. He knows the treachery of the eyes and what the breasts conceal.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : If we were to say that you speak the intention, we would also have to say that you say: “O Allah, I intend to perform the ablution, so I will wash my face, wash my hands, wipe my head, wash my feet, and go to prayer, and so on.”
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Yes, indeed.
The questioner : The last question in our session; let us limit it to the ablution, even if he has questions about dry ablution with clean earth.