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
Tartib (Order in Prayer)
The correct sequence of the prayer's actions and the daily prayers.
Mihrab (Prayer Niche)
The semicircular niche in the mosque wall that indicates the qibla direction.
Du'a al-Faraj (The Supplication of Deliverance)
A short, powerful supplication for Imam al-Mahdi's appearance and deliverance from suffering.
Fard (Obligatory)
The obligatory acts in Islam, including the five daily prayers.
Madhhab (School of Law)
An Islamic school of law with its own methodology for legal derivation from the sacred sources.
Arba'een (The 40th Day)
The 40th day after Imam Husayn's martyrdom, marked by the world's largest pilgrimage.