How is intention (niyyah) made for prayers? How are intentions made in Arabic? Are there any differences in intentions based on madhhabs? Do intentions change based on madhhabs?

Dear Brother / Sister,

Intention (niyyah) is obligatory in prayers. Intention consists of determination and definite will. It means for the heart to decide something and to know why something is made without thinking. 

Intention related to prayer means to want to perform a prayer sincerely for Allah’s sake and to know what prayer to perform. The importance of the deeds that are done and their thawabs are based on their intentions. Intentions need to be sincere (for Allah’s sake only). Man needs to perform worshipping consciously. He needs to have a high aim like Allah’s sake in the deeds that he does and he must not be in heedlessness. 

Intention belongs to the heart. However, it is better to say the intention by the tongue after making it through the heart. If a person makes intention through the heart for a prayer and does not say it with the tongue, his prayer is permissible.  However, it is better to say "I intend to perform the fard or sunnah of this or that prayer" along with intending through the heart. According to the sound view, it is mustahab to intend with both the heart and tongue. The intention made by the tongue without intention through the heart is not valid. 

It is necessary to determine the time for fard prayers, eid and witr prayers while performing them. Intention is made as follows: "I intend to perform the morning prayer of today" or "the Friday prayer of today, witr prayer of today, eid prayer of today". It is not enough to intend only for the fard prayer. Fard prayer is not determined with such an intention. However, it is enough to make intention by saying, "I intend to perform the fard prayer of this time period" within that time period, without saying what fard prayer it is. It is not necessary to mention the number of rak’ahs. However, it is not valid for Friday prayer; it is not performed by saying the fard prayer of this time period because the real time period is for the noon prayer, not Friday prayer.  

As for nafilah prayers, it is necessary to intend for prayer only. However, it is possible to make intention as the first or last sunnah of this time period. It is not necessary to determine whether it is muakkadah or ghayr-muakkdah. However, it is better to say "I intend to perform tarawih prayer or the sunnah of this time period" for tarawih prayer; this is the cautious one.

If a person catches up with the congregation but does not know whether the imam is performing the fard prayer or tarawih, he makes intention for fard and follows the imam. If it is a fard prayer, his prayer is valid. If it is tarawih prayer, his prayer becomes a nafilah prayer. It is not regarded as tarawih prayer because tarawih prayer cannot performed before the night prayer.

It is more virtuous for the intention to be closer to the time of takbir. It is permissible to make intention earlier but there must not be anything contrary to prayer between intention and takbir.

Example: If a person makes intention to perform a prayer while making wudu and goes to the place of prayer and starts to perform that prayer without doing anything contrary to prayer like eating, drinking and speaking before prayer, his prayer is valid. Even if that intention does not come to his mind, his prayer is valid. However, prayer is not valid if intention is made after takbir. This is the preferred view. According to another view, prayer is valid with the intention made after takbir but before Subhanaka and Audhu. 

According to those explanations, if a person knows what prayer he will perform, it is niyyah; he does not have to say it with his tongue. However, it is better to say it with the tongue too. Intention can be made in any language. It does not have to be in Arabic.

How to make intention in Arabic:

Intention for the sunnah / fard of the morning prayer:

"Nawaytu an usalliya lillahi taala sunnata / farda salatil fajri adaan mustaqbilal qiblati." Allahu akbar...

Intention for the sunnah / fard of the noon prayer:

"Nawaytu an usalliya lillahi taala sunnata / farda salatiz zuhri adaan mustaqbilal qiblati." Allahu akbar...

Intention for the sunnah / fard of the afternoon prayer:

"Nawaytu an usalliya lillahi taala sunnata / farda salatil asri adaan mustaqbilal qiblati." Allahu akbar...

Intention for the sunnah / fard of the evening prayer:

"Nawaytu an usalliya lillahi taala farda / sunnata salatil maghribi adaan mustaqbilal qiblati." Allahu akbar...

Intention for the sunnah / fard of the night prayer:

"Nawaytu an usalliya lillahi taala farda / sunnata salatil ishai adaan mustaqbilal qiblati." Allahu akbar...

Intention for witr prayer:

"Nawaytu an usalliya lillahi taala salatal witri adaan mustaqbilal qiblati." Allahu akbar...

NOTE: If a person is to follow an imam, he says "muqtadiyan bi hadhal imami" before saying "Allahu akbar".

Questions on Islam