The Ruling on the Opening Supplication and Voicing the Intention Before Entering Prayer

The following message was received by the program from listener Abdulaziz Hussein Ibrahim, a Sudanese working in the Kingdom at the Rabigh post office. He says in his message: In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate, and my success is only by Allah. The first question says: I have heard many of the worshippers say, immediately after the takbir of ihram, supplications such as: “I have turned my face toward the Creator of the heavens and the earth,” or “toward the noble Ka'bah,” “I intend to pray the 'Asr prayer or the 'Isha' prayer,” and then they say: Allahu Akbar and enter into the prayer. What is your opinion on this? Please inform us, may Allah reward you.
Answer: It is the Sunnah for the believer when he stands for prayer to realize the greatness of his Lord and that this prayer has a great status, and that humility in it is required, as Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) said: : [Al-Mu'minun: 1-2]. He stands with the intention of entering into it, and when the imam says Allahu Akbar, he says Allahu Akbar after him. If he is praying alone due to an illness that prevents him from joining the congregation, or in a voluntary prayer, he says Allahu Akbar as the first thing he begins the prayer with. It is not prescribed for him to say: “I intend to pray such and such.” This is something with no basis. The correct view is that it is not prescribed, but rather it is a religious innovation (bid'ah); because the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) did not say when beginning the prayer: “I intend to pray such and such,” and his Companions did not say that, nor did the four Imams, nor any other of the well-known scholars from the Imams of the righteous Salaf. So the Sunnah for the believing man and woman is to begin the prayer by saying: Allahu Akbar, and not to say: “I intend to pray the Dhuhr such and such, the 'Asr such and such... the Fajr such and such... the Jumu'ah such and such.” This has no basis. But he intends in his heart that he is standing for the specific prayer, the Dhuhr or the 'Asr or the Maghrib or the 'Isha', and that is sufficient. The heart is the place of intention.
As for “I have turned my face,” this is said after entering into the prayer. This is called: the opening supplication (istiftah). When he says the takbir, he says the prescribed opening supplication that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to do. It is authentically reported from him (peace and blessings be upon him) various types of opening supplications, the most concise and brief of which is: . He says this after the takbir. The man and the woman say it in the obligatory and voluntary prayers: . And the meaning of: means: Your greatness. “Jadd” of Allah: His (Glorified and Exalted is He) greatness. So He is the one worshipped in truth, (Glorified and Exalted is He). And what people worship besides Allah, such as graves, the people of graves, or prophets, or righteous people, or stars, or idols, or trees, all of it is false. As for the one worshipped in truth, He is Allah alone, (Glorified and Exalted is He). And this is the meaning of: “La ilaha ghayruk” (There is no deity but You), meaning: There is no deity worthy of worship in truth other than You. Allah the Exalted said: [Al-Hajj: 62].
Another opening supplication is prescribed, which the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) used, and it is established from him: . This was also used by the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and is established from him in the two Sahihs. If a person does this before he recites: , this is recommended (mustahabb) and not obligatory, before he recites and after he says the takbir. And there is a third type of opening supplication where he says: . This is a type of opening supplication and it is authentic and established. He (peace and blessings be upon him) mostly used it at night and in voluntary prayers. If a person uses it in the obligatory prayer, there is no harm; because their status is the same except for what is specified by evidence. But it is long, and not everyone memorizes it. So the first one is more concise and easier for the general public of men and women: . Then he says: I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed Shaytan. In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate. And he recites Al-Fatihah, then whatever is easy for him with it after that. This is what is prescribed. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you.