FatwaFederal TerritoriesPrayer (Salah)
IRSYAD HUKUM SIRI KE-815: HUKUM MELAFAZKAN NIAT DALAM IBADAT DI SISI HUKUM SYARAK
Is prayer invalid if the intention is pronounced aloud, and what is the ruling on verbalising the intention in worship?
Short answer
Verbalising the intention does not invalidate prayer and is not obligatory, since the place of intention is the heart.
A reference, not a fatwa. First sentence of the summary below — read the original fatwa and consult your state authority before acting.
- Authority
- Federal Territories Mufti Office
- Date
- Status
- Opinion (irsyad)
- Series
- Irsyad al-Hukum (Umum)
- Topic
- Prayer (Salah)
No evidence of gazettement in the source — this is not a gazetted fatwa.
Summary
Verbalising the intention does not invalidate prayer and is not obligatory, since the place of intention is the heart. In the Shafi‘i school it is recommended (mustahab) and is said to help the heart avoid doubt. The ruling holds that it is permissible with a basis in scholars' analogy to the Prophet's pronouncing the intention for Hajj and Umrah, and it is also encouraged in other recognised schools such as the Hanafi and Hanbali and practised by some early scholars.
Written in our own words from the original fatwa — check the source before acting on it.
Dalam mazhab Syafi'i, lafaz niat bukan syarat sah ibadat, iaitu amalan ini bukan suatu yang diwajibkan. Namun begitu, ia termasuk dalam perbuatan yang dianjurkan oleh syarak(mustahab).
Read the full fatwa on the Federal Territories website (new tab)
How to cite
Cite the original fatwa and its authority. Rujuk Fatwa is only where you found it.
Federal Territories Mufti Office. “IRSYAD HUKUM SIRI KE-815: HUKUM MELAFAZKAN NIAT DALAM IBADAT DI SISI HUKUM SYARAK”, 20 December 2023. https://muftiwp.gov.my/ms/artikel/irsyad-hukum/umum/5810-irsyad-al-fatwa-siri-ke-815-hukum-melafazkan-niat-dalam-ibadat-di-sisi-hukum-syarak. Found via Rujuk Fatwa: https://rujukfatwa.com/en/fatwa/ruling-on-verbalising-intention-in-worship/