THE PILLARS OF ISLAM - Mouassa Islamic association

How Intention Is Done:
1. One has to specify the prayer he is going to perform:
whether it is Zuhr (noon) or „Asr (afternoon) prayer, and
specify whether it is a prescribed or a voluntary prayer.
2. To intend performing the prayer, i.e. recalling it in the
heart even if this is done in general with regard to the
number of Rak„ahs 16 and the prayer actions.
3. To intend performing a specific prescribed prayer in its
prescribed time in order to exempt oneself from this
dutiful act, if it is a prescribed prayer, and specify the type
of prayer whether it is Sunnah or supererogatory.
4. To utter the intention along with its presence in the heart 17 .
5. To formulate the intention with the first action of the
prayer, which is Takbîrat-al-Ihrâm -i.e. saying (Allâhu-
Akbar) at the beginning of the prayer).
6. Intention should continue throughout the prayer. If, during
the prayer, one intends to terminate the prayer, his prayer
becomes nullified even if he does not make the Taslîm
(final salutation).
16 Rak„ahs: A group of actions that are performed during each prayer.
The number and manner of which will be described later in this
section.
17 This is not a condition for the validity of intention but certain jurists
consider it a desirable act.
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