Is it permissible to verbalize the intention before prayer?
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Question:
There are customs among some people of which we do not know whether they are part of Islam or whether they are a religious innovation—for example:
In some rural areas, some people say before the takbir of ihram for prayer: "I intend to pray the midday prayer, for example, as a follower or as an imam, the current obligatory prayer," and so on, in a voice that can be heard by whoever is next to them. Is this correct? Please guide us. May Allah reward you with good.
Answer:
This has no basis; rather, it is one of the religious innovations introduced by some people. Even if some of the later scholars said it, it is not prescribed.
The correct view is that one does not say this, but rather intends it in his heart. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not say this, nor did his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them), nor did the imams among the scholars in the blessed centuries, and it is not known from any one of them. So one does not say: "I intend to pray the midday prayer thus, or the afternoon prayer thus, or the sunset prayer thus, or the night prayer thus, or the dawn prayer thus, as an imam, or as a follower, or alone." All of this is not said. Verbalizing the intention is not prescribed.
And he (peace and blessings be upon him) said in the authentic hadith:Sahih Muslim 1718b meaning: so it is rejected. And he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Sahih Muslim 1718a meaning: so it is rejected. And he used to say in the Friday sermon (peace and blessings be upon him): Sahih Muslim 867a.
So my advice to all my Muslim brothers everywhere is that they not say this phrase when praying, that they not verbalize the intention; because there is no basis for it. But when one stands up for prayer, he has intended it. When he hears the iqamah, he has intended the prayer. Or when he stands up in his house to pray the sunnah of the forenoon, or to perform the late-night voluntary prayer, or the regular voluntary prayers, when he stands up for prayer with his heart intending it, the objective is achieved. There is no need to say: "I intend to pray thus," neither in the mosque nor in the house, neither alone nor with the imam. And the imam does not say it either. May Allah guide everyone to following the Sunnah and being upright upon it.
The presenter: O Allah, amen. May Allah reward you with good.
There are customs among some people of which we do not know whether they are part of Islam or whether they are a religious innovation—for example:
In some rural areas, some people say before the takbir of ihram for prayer: "I intend to pray the midday prayer, for example, as a follower or as an imam, the current obligatory prayer," and so on, in a voice that can be heard by whoever is next to them. Is this correct? Please guide us. May Allah reward you with good.
Answer:
This has no basis; rather, it is one of the religious innovations introduced by some people. Even if some of the later scholars said it, it is not prescribed.
The correct view is that one does not say this, but rather intends it in his heart. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not say this, nor did his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them), nor did the imams among the scholars in the blessed centuries, and it is not known from any one of them. So one does not say: "I intend to pray the midday prayer thus, or the afternoon prayer thus, or the sunset prayer thus, or the night prayer thus, or the dawn prayer thus, as an imam, or as a follower, or alone." All of this is not said. Verbalizing the intention is not prescribed.
And he (peace and blessings be upon him) said in the authentic hadith:
He who did any act for which there is no sanction from our behalf, that is to be rejected.
من عمل عملًا ليس عليه أمرنا فهو رد'A'isha reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: He who innovates things in our affairs for which there is no valid (reason) (commits sin) and these are to be rejected.
من أحدث في أمرنا هذا ما ليس منه فهو ردThe best of the speech is embodied in the Book of Allah, and the best of the guidance is the guidance given by Muhammad. And the most evil affairs are their innovations; and every innovation is error.
أما بعد: فإن خير الحديث كتاب الله، وخير الهدي هدي محمد ﷺ، وشر الأمور محدثاتها، وكل بدعة ضلالةSo my advice to all my Muslim brothers everywhere is that they not say this phrase when praying, that they not verbalize the intention; because there is no basis for it. But when one stands up for prayer, he has intended it. When he hears the iqamah, he has intended the prayer. Or when he stands up in his house to pray the sunnah of the forenoon, or to perform the late-night voluntary prayer, or the regular voluntary prayers, when he stands up for prayer with his heart intending it, the objective is achieved. There is no need to say: "I intend to pray thus," neither in the mosque nor in the house, neither alone nor with the imam. And the imam does not say it either. May Allah guide everyone to following the Sunnah and being upright upon it.
The presenter: O Allah, amen. May Allah reward you with good.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.