Fatwa ID: 02656
Answered by: Moulana Tahsin Alam
Question:
Is it masnoon to make a verbal intention of prayer before praying Salah?
Some say it's bidah from South Asia.
Answer:
بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيْم
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
It has not been established from Nabi SAW nor his sahabah (companions) that they would make verbal intentions before standing for Salah, thus leading some in labelling this practice a bidah (innovation). But some ulama (scholars) have commented that if it will help one concentrate and focus before salah there is no harm, rather it will be mustahab (recommended) [whilst not considering it a practised Sunnah].[1]
And Allah SWT alone knows best.
Answered by Moulana Tahsin Alam
Checked and approved Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham
[1]Mulla Ali al-Qari, Mirqat al-MafatihsharhMishkat al-Masabih (Lahore: MaktabahRashediyah, n.d.) pg. 94.