Niyyah (Intention)
The conscious intention in the heart to perform a specific prayer.
Niyyah (Arabic: نية) means "intention" and is a fundamental requirement for all actions in Islam, including prayer. Niyyah is the conscious intention in the heart to perform a specific action for Allah's sake.
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "Actions are judged by intentions, and every person will get what was his intention." Before the prayer, one must have a clear intention about which prayer one will pray (e.g., "I intend to pray the four obligatory rak'ah of the Dhuhr prayer for Allah").
Niyyah is in the heart — it does not need to be spoken aloud, although some schools of law recommend it. The important thing is that one is conscious of what one is doing and that one does it sincerely for Allah's sake. A prayer without niyyah is not valid.
Related terms
Sunnah Mu'akkadah (Emphasized Sunnah)
Voluntary prayers that the Prophet (peace be upon him) performed regularly and rarely omitted.
Haram (Forbidden)
Actions that are strictly forbidden in Islamic law.
Tasbih (Glorification)
Saying "SubhanAllah" (Glory be to Allah) as a form of dhikr.
Sahih al-Bukhari (Bukhari's Authentic Collection)
The most authoritative hadith collection in Sunni Islam, compiled by Imam al-Bukhari.
Najaf (Imam Ali's City)
The sacred city in Iraq housing Imam Ali's tomb and the Shia scholarly center.
Jumu'ah (Friday Prayer)
The weekly congregational prayer on Friday, which replaces Dhuhr.