الحمد لله رب العالمين والصلوة والسلام على رسوله الأمين: أما بعد: هدية المسلمين فى جمع الأربعين من صلوة خاتم النبيين (ﷺ)
The Obligation of Intention
Hadith No. 1
«عن عمر بن الخطاب رضي الله عنه: سمعت صلى الله عليه وسلم عليه يقول: إنما الأعمال بالنيات .. إلخ»
It is narrated from Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) that he said: I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say: “Actions are judged by intentions.”
Benefits:
1. From this blessed hadith it is known that making intention in wudu, ghusl of janabah, prayer etc. is obligatory, and the scholars are unanimous upon this.
With the exception of Imam Abu Hanifah (may Allah have mercy on him); according to him, intention is not obligatory in wudu and ghusl of janabah, it is recommended (sunnah).
This Hanafi ruling is rejected, being contrary to the above hadith and other legal evidences.
2. Remember that intention refers to the resolve of the heart; making intention verbally is not proven from any hadith. Imam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said: “Intention refers to the resolve and purpose of the heart; the place of purpose and resolve is the heart, not the tongue.”
And upon this there is the consensus of people of sound intellect.
Imam Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
Making intention verbally is not proven from the Prophet ﷺ, nor from any Companion, nor from any Tabi’i, nor from the four Imams.
Note: Imam al-Shafi’i (may Allah have mercy on him) used to say before entering prayer: ” «بسم الله موجهاً لبيت الله مؤدباً لفرض الله (عز وجل) الله أكبر»
, قال: أخبرنا ابن خزيمة ثنا الربيع قال: كان الشافعي إذا أراد أن يدخل فى الصلوة …… الخ It is known that this intention is not proven from the three Imams (Abu Hanifah, Malik and Ahmad), so avoiding it is necessary.
Pronouncing the intention verbally has no basis. It is a remarkable and regrettable anomaly that making intention in the heart is obligatory, yet its status has been reduced and it has been declared merely sunnah, whereas reciting the intention verbally has no basis, yet it has been made a recommended act which is practised with the same vigour as an obligatory command.
3. For an act to be accepted by Allah there are three conditions:
(1) The doer’s belief must conform to the Book and Sunnah and the understanding of the righteous predecessors.
(2) The act and its method must also conform to the Book and Sunnah.
(3) The act must be performed solely for the pleasure of Allah.
