Niy’yath: (the Intent)
Salaah commences with a statement of our intent. This Niy’yath is obligatory (Far’d):
"I am performing the Salaah * ________of #_______ of @________ Rakaah’s for Allah and I am facing the Holy Ka’abah.
*State here Far’d, Sunnah, Naf’l, or Wa’jib, whichever is the class of the Salaah you are performing .
# Here, the title of the Salaah is stated, namely Faj'r, Zuh'r, Jum'a, As'r, Maghrib, Isha'a, With'r, Isthiqara.
@ Here we cite the number of Rakaah’s in the prayer we are about to commence.
If we are in a congregation, we add the words "under the lead of this Imam" to the Niy’yath.
If you are leading the congregation yourself, as the Imam, add the words "with this my congregation and also with those who may join me in the course of the Salaah" to the Niy’yath.
It is enough if we state the Niy’yath in our heart. It is also okay to state it by word of mouth. It is also not obligatory to state it in Arabi. We may state it in our own language in our own manner.
It is of utmost importance that we do not miss the dedication
"FOR ALLAH"
in our Niy’yath in Salaah and in all the good things we do.
The Niy’yath, by itself, brings us sawaab.
