Should a person say before the Takbeer, “I intend to pray such-and-such a prayer for Allah”?

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Is it upon the praying person at the beginning of his prayer before the Takbeer: “I intend to pray such-and-such a prayer for Allah..”

Answer by Shaikh Al-Fawzān: It is not permitted to vocalise or verbalise the intention (niyyah). Rather the intention is in the heart and to utter it on the tongue is an innovation. So do not say, “I intend to pray…” because Allah already knows your intention and he knows what is in your heart without you saying it on your tongue. Furthermore, it is not reported from the Prophet (salallāhu ‘alaihi wassallam) that he would say this when he was about to pray. He (salallāhu ‘alaihi wassallam) said, “Pray as you have seen me pray.” (Bukhari 631) So this uttering the intention (niyyah) is from the newly introduced practices and is not permissible. The Prophet (salallāhu ‘alaihi wassallam), “Whoever does a deed which is not from this affair of ours, will be rejected.” (Muslim 1718)

(Duroos wa Fatawa al-Hajj of Shaikh Al-Fawzān, 1/157)

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