The Ruling on Voicing the Intention in Prayer
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Q186: The questioner asks: What is the ruling on voicing the intention in prayer, and naming it aloud as well, such as saying: "I intend to pray the 'Asr prayer, four rak'ahs, for Allah the Exalted," and so on?
A186: The intention is a condition for the validity of the prayer, as well as for all other acts of worship, based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):Sahih al-Bukhari 1 Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, knows the secret and what is even more hidden. There is no evidence for vocalizing the intention, so vocalizing it is a religious innovation. Vocalizing the intention in prayer, and in all other acts of worship, is an innovation because it is introducing something that has no evidence from the Shari'ah. It is not reported that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "I intend to pray four rak'ahs of the obligatory Zuhr prayer" or "the obligatory 'Asr prayer." This is not established from any of his Companions or his Rightly Guided Caliphs. Therefore, it is an introduced innovation. The place of intentions is the hearts, and Allah the Exalted knows what is in the hearts, even if one does not vocalize it. Allah the Exalted said: [Al-Hujurat 49:16] Acts of worship revolve around explicit texts, so it is not permissible
for a servant to introduce anything in them, or in their attributes, except with evidence; because they are based on divine legislation and explicit texts. There is no explicit text regarding vocalizing the intention, except what they mentioned in two places: when entering the state of ihram, one says, for example, "I intend to enter ihram for such and such," or "I intend to enter ihram for such and such"; and when slaughtering the sacrificial animal of the pilgrimage or the 'Id sacrifice, one says: "O Allah, this is for so-and-so," or "for myself." In these two places, there is evidence for vocalizing the intention. In all other places, vocalizing the intention is a religious innovation, not from the way of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), nor from the way of the righteous predecessors. And Allah the Exalted knows best.
A186: The intention is a condition for the validity of the prayer, as well as for all other acts of worship, based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):
The reward of deeds depends upon the intentions and every person will get the reward according to what he has intended.
إنما الأعمال بالنيات وإنما لكل امرئ ما نوىSay, "Would you acquaint Allah with your religion while Allah knows whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth, and Allah is Knowing of all things?"
قُلْ أَتُعَلِّمُونَ اللَّهَ بِدِينِكُمْ وَاللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَاللَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيمfor a servant to introduce anything in them, or in their attributes, except with evidence; because they are based on divine legislation and explicit texts. There is no explicit text regarding vocalizing the intention, except what they mentioned in two places: when entering the state of ihram, one says, for example, "I intend to enter ihram for such and such," or "I intend to enter ihram for such and such"; and when slaughtering the sacrificial animal of the pilgrimage or the 'Id sacrifice, one says: "O Allah, this is for so-and-so," or "for myself." In these two places, there is evidence for vocalizing the intention. In all other places, vocalizing the intention is a religious innovation, not from the way of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), nor from the way of the righteous predecessors. And Allah the Exalted knows best.
Source
www.alifta.gov.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.