Understanding Intention in Prayer: Is There a Specific Supplication?

The Role of Intention in Prayer: Do We Need Specific Words?

Question: At the beginning of the prayer, the intention is made in the heart, meaning no words are spoken. Is there any specific supplication or words from the Quran or Hadith that we can recite in our hearts while making the intention?

Answer: The intention at the beginning of the prayer, or any act of worship, is related to the heart, meaning it is an intention or thought that arises in the heart regarding the act. There is no specific supplication from the Quran or Hadith for making the intention.

The matter of intention is not limited to prayer alone but applies to all acts of worship, such as making the intention before ablution, before taking a bath, before giving zakat, and before giving charity. In all acts of worship, the intention is made first, and it is the name of the intention in the heart. There are no specific words for it.

In essence, words are required for the tongue, but the heart does not need words. The heart thinks rather than speaks.

 Sheikh Maqbool Ahmed Salafi (may Allah preserve him)

❪Jeddah Dawah Center, Hayy al-Salamah – Saudi Arabia❫