What does a person say when he wants to pray after the iqamah has been called? Does he intend it in his heart, or does he mention the intention aloud, or does he intend it in his heart and say the takbir for entering the state of ihram?
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The questioner : From the questions of this questioner from Syria, he says: O honorable Shaykh, what does a person say when he wants to pray an obligatory prayer after the iqamah has been called? Does he intend it in his heart, or does he mention the intention aloud, or does he intend it in his heart, say the takbir for entering the state of ihram, and mention the number of rak'ahs?
The Shaykh : It is not obligatory for him to make the intention aloud; in fact, it is not recommended for him to do so. In fact, it is not recommended for him to say the intention, even in a whisper, because the place of the intention is the heart, and Allah the Exalted is aware of it, as Allah Mighty and Majestic said:[Qaf 50:16-17].
He does not need to intend the number of rak'ahs, nor does he need to intend that he is praying behind so-and-so. Rather, it is sufficient for him to intend that he wants to pray, for example, the Zuhr prayer.
If specifying the prayer is absent from his heart, such that he prays intending the obligatory prayer of the time, and it is absent from his mind whether it is Zuhr, 'Asr, Maghrib, 'Isha', or Fajr, then the stronger position is that the prayer is valid, because the time takes the place of specification. He has intended that it is the obligatory prayer of the time. If it is the time of Zuhr, it is Zuhr; if it is the time of 'Asr, it is 'Asr; if it is the time of Maghrib, it is Maghrib; if it is the time of 'Isha', it is 'Isha'; and if it is the time of Fajr, it is Fajr.
The Shaykh : It is not obligatory for him to make the intention aloud; in fact, it is not recommended for him to do so. In fact, it is not recommended for him to say the intention, even in a whisper, because the place of the intention is the heart, and Allah the Exalted is aware of it, as Allah Mighty and Majestic said:
(16) And We have already created man and know what his soul whispers to him, and We are closer to him than [his] jugular vein (17) When the two receivers receive, seated on the right and on the left.
ولقد خلقنا الإنسان ونعلم ما توسوس به نفسه ونحن أقرب إليه من حبل الوريد إذ يتلقى المتلقيانHe does not need to intend the number of rak'ahs, nor does he need to intend that he is praying behind so-and-so. Rather, it is sufficient for him to intend that he wants to pray, for example, the Zuhr prayer.
If specifying the prayer is absent from his heart, such that he prays intending the obligatory prayer of the time, and it is absent from his mind whether it is Zuhr, 'Asr, Maghrib, 'Isha', or Fajr, then the stronger position is that the prayer is valid, because the time takes the place of specification. He has intended that it is the obligatory prayer of the time. If it is the time of Zuhr, it is Zuhr; if it is the time of 'Asr, it is 'Asr; if it is the time of Maghrib, it is Maghrib; if it is the time of 'Isha', it is 'Isha'; and if it is the time of Fajr, it is Fajr.