The types of intentions

There are two types of intentions

[1] An obligatory intention, without which the act of worship is not valid, such as the intention in ablution, prayer, zakat, fasting, and pilgrimage. This intention is hardly overlooked by anyone, so if a person performs ablution to pray, or to touch the Qur’an, or to be pure, then he has the intention. So the intention to pray, or the intention to remove the state that prevents him from offering the prayer, this is the intention in ablution. If a person stands to pray, knowing that it is the noon prayer, for example, and intends to pray it and begin it, then he has made the intention, and it is not necessary - and it is not prescribed - to say with his tongue that I intended to pray the noon prayer... etc., as some people do, because this was not narrated from the Prophet, may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, but the place :of the intention is the heart. Thus, if a person resolves - at night that he will fast tomorrow - then he has intended to fast, and even eating the food of Suhoor, indicates his intention to fast and his desire for it. Intention in this sense is difficult for a person to forget.

[2] - The second type: is a recommended intention, to obtain the reward, and this is what some people neglect, which is to evoke the intention in permissible things, to turn them into acts of obedience and acts of worship, such as eating, drinking, and sleeping with the intention of strengthening the  body to perform the acts of obedience, Narrated Sa'd bin Abi Waqqas:

Allah's Messenger ( may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him ) said,

 Muadh, may Allah be pleased with him, said: “As for me, I sleep and stand up in the night prayer, so I expect the reward for my sleep as I expect the reward for standing in the night prayer.”

He, may Allah be pleased with him, used to anticipate the reward in sleeping, as he anticipated the reward for performing the night prayer, because he wanted to gain strength for worship and obedience by sleeping.

He used to seek the reward in rest as well as in fatigue. Because if the rest is intended to help in worship, the reward will be obtained.”

Matters help to evoke this intention:

- Taking one`s time.

-  Contemplation.

- Avoiding haste.

In this way the person thinks about what he does and leaves, and holds himself accountable before the action, then considers whether it is permissible or forbidden, then looks at his intention: What did he intend by that?

The more he holds himself accountable, and trains it to reflect before performing the deed, the more he remembers to have a good intention until it becomes his habit, and he usually gets used to it, so he does not go out or enter, does not eat or drink, does not give or prevent, unless he has a good intention in that deed, and thus it turns spending the time in the permissible things to times of worship and drawing closer to Allah.

We ask Allah Almighty to guide us to sincerity in intention, saying, and action.

Allah Almighty is higher and knows best. All praise be to Allah, Lord of the Worlds, and may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family and all his companions, and those who follow him in goodness until the Day of Judgment