is verbally making intention before praying salah is bidah ?

Assalamu Alaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh

Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim

Is Verbally Making Intention Before Praying Salah is Bidah ??? 

Like " mai niyat karta hun 2 rakah namaz fazar ki farz waste allah ke rukh mera qaba sharif ke taraf...?? 

Can you please give me dalil in the light of quarn and authentic hadith.... Jazak allahu kahir

Praise be to Allah :

STEP # 1 ==> INTENTION (Niyah)

(1) Narrated 'Umar bin Al-Khattab: I heard Allah's Apostle saying, "The reward of deeds depends upon the intentions and every person will get the reward according to what he has intended.

[Ref: Sahih Bukhari, Volume 1 Book #1, Hadith #1]

[Ref: Sahih Bukhari,Volume 1 Book #2, Hadith #51]

[Ref: Sahih Bukhari, Volume 3 Book #46, Hadith #706]

[Ref: Sahih Bukhari, Volume 5 Book #58, Hadith #238]

(1.1) It was narrated that 'Umar bin Al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, said that the Messenger of Allah said:"Actions are but by intentions, and each man will have but that which he intended

[Ref: Sunan Al Nasai Vol. 4, Book 27, Hadith 3467]

(1.2) The Niyat to pray Salah, should be within one's heart or mind only. There is not a single Hadith or even an Athar (teaching of a sahabi) which shows that either the Prophet (s.a.w) or the best of Muslims to have ever lived - 

his companions (r.a.a) ever, in their entire life uttered their Niyat (to pray) VERBALLY in words (either loudly or softly). 

The sahabas went to different countries wherein they found people belonging to different caste, culture and languages who came to them ( the companions r.a.a) to learn Islam (which included prayer). 

The sahabaas never taught anyone to make their niyat (intention) verbally in any language. So how can we do something which the Prophet (s.a.w) or his companions never did in Islam? We are neither better than them, nor are our scholars of today or past (All combined) better than them in understanding Islam,

On the contrary the Prophet (s.a.w) said:

“The key to prayer is purification; its beginning is Takbeer and its end is Tasleem”

[Sunan Abu Dawood (61, 618)], 

Al-Tirmidhee (3, 238)],

[Ibn Maajah (275, 276)] 

on the authority of `Alee bin Abu Taalib, Abu Sa`eed al-Khudree رضي الله عنهما and graded as “Saheeh” by Shaikh al-Albaanee]

And elsewhere the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said, in the hadeeth about the one who prayed badly: “Then turn towards the qiblah and say Allahu akbar.”

[Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 6667]

Thus as we read , we see that the guidance (teaching) of the prophet (s.a.w) in regards to one commencing his prayer is to face the Qiblah and say "Allahu-Akbar (takbeer)" . He (s.a.w) did not mention verbal utterance of niyah in arabic let alone in Hindi/Urdu/Bangla/etc. Hence this action of doing a verbal niyat (either loudly or softly ) is not proven from the prophet (s.a.w) or his companions and is an innovation (Bid'at) in Islam and there are numerous hadiths warning against any Innovation in Islam. Out of many, I'l Post 2 of them below :

(i) Narrated Aisha:Allah's Apostle said, "If somebody innovates something which is not in harmony (accordance) with the principles of our religion (Mine and my sahabas), that thing is rejected."

[Ref: Sahih Bukhari, Vol. 3, Book 49, Hadith 861]

(ii) On the Authority of Ali Ibn Abi Talib (r.a) : The prophet (s.a.w) said " If anyone introduces an innovation, he will be responsible for it. If anyone introduces an innovation or gives shelter to a man who introduces an innovation (in religion), he is cursed by Allah, by His angels, and by all the people

[Ref: Sunan Abu Dawood, Book 39, Hadith 4515. This hadeeth is Da'eef but the matan is supported from different texts such as Abu-Dawud Book 036, Hadith Number 5221 and Sahih Muslim Book 7, Number 3159]

(1.3) So the act of verbally uttering one's niyat is not only religiously wrong but Also Illogical. e.g : You hear the Asr Adhan and you get up from your bed/office/room/work/desk etc and make wudhu, then you get out of the house, walk or ride towards the masjid. enter the masjid. and get ready to pray asr behind the Imam when the Iqama is heard. Now you did this only because you "INTENDED TO PRAY ASR" and not because "YOU WERE FAKING IT"

(1.4) From 1.3 we learn that our Niyat has been already made logically. and We all know that Allah has been called by the word "Bizatis Sudoor" in the Quran which means "knower of the hearts". So Allah knows what we intend and what we don't. If a person intends to pray asr for the sake of Allah then Allah knows his niyat and if a person is standing to fake his prayer then no matter how good his verbal niyat is, Allah knows what is in his heart.

(1.5) from 1.4 we learn that Allah already knows what we are going to pray or how and etc. so now comes the Point that "if we pray only for the sake of Allah, and if Allah knows what we are going/intend to pray, and if we ourselves also know what we are going/intend to pray" then why are we reciting our niyat verbally? When

- Allah knows,

- We know

Then why to utter it verbally? This is illogical and one should abstain from this for this is a cursed innovation in Islam.

Ibn Taymiyah (r.h) said : "The intention (for the prayer) should not be uttered (verbally) according to the consensus (Ijmaa) of the Imams of Islaam. Rather the place of intention is the heart , according to the consensus among them" 

[Ref: Fataawa al-Kubra, 1/214,215]

Ibn al-Qayyum (r.h) said : "Doing intention from the tongue is not proven from the Prophet (s.a.w) nor a Sahaabi not a Tab'aee not from the 4 Imaams (Abu Hanifa, Al-Sha'afi, Hanbal and Maalik] 

[Ref: Zaad Al-Ma'ad Vol 1, Pg 201]

Imam Ibn Qayyim al-Jauziyyah:"When the Prophet (?) stood up to pray, he would say: “Allaahu akbar,” and he did not say anything before that, or utter the intention (niyyah) out loud at all. He did not say, “I am going to pray such-and-such a prayer, facing the qiblah, four rak'ahs, as an imam or following an imam.” And he did not say “ada’an (on time)” or “qadaa’an (making up a missed prayer)” or “fard al-waqt (the obligatory prayer of this time).” These are all bid’ahs which were not narrated by any scholar with any isnaad, be it saheeh, da’eef, musnad or mursal … Neither was this narrated from any of the Prophet’s companions, and none of the Taabi’een or the four imams described it as mustahabb."

(Zaad al-Ma’aad 1/201)

Conlusion : Uttering one's niyat (intention) verbally for any salah is against the teachings of Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) and logic.

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HOW TO COME OVER A PORN ADDICTION IN ISLAMIC AND SCIENTIFIC WAY

HOW TO COME OVER A PORN  ADDICTION IN  ISLAMIC AND SCIENTIFIC WAY

Time to Kick Porn Addiction Out of your System:

• Physiology of porn addiction & why it's so hard to quit

• Porn addicts: you are not losers & you CAN quit

• The Ramadan connection

• Simple changes towards a new life

Some of you may be thinking, “Astaghfirullah, how can someone even think of doing this “.First say alḥamdulillāh, and thank Allāh that He, Al-Rahman, has protected you from this great fitnah. Next pray to Allāh that He keeps you away from the dark forces of sexual addictions of all types, from porn to zina, naudhubillah.

Effects of Porn

Although destructive in many ways, the deteriorating impact porn addiction has on intimacy between spouses, tops the list. There is developing research that “pornography was progressively desensitizing these men sexually… that they quickly required higher levels of stimulation to achieve the same level of arousal”. The sad reality is that your wife/husband becomes progressively insufficient to satisfy your sexual desires.

For those addiction-afflicted as well as those who aren't, take heed of the dangers of porn addiction. Like alcohol and drug addiction, porn addiction cannot simply be shut off. Rather, one must undergo a rigorous process requiring time and effort, and this process cannot start unless one understands why this addiction is so strong. Porn addiction is one sub-category of sexual addictions, likely the lightest in terms of haram- but equally destructive and almost certainly leading to worse if not nipped in the bud. That is why Allāh has instructed us to not even “approach zina” [Quran 17.32], because with porn as an entry-way, it becomes almost impossible to stop one's path to zina.

Why is it an Addiction?

Research has shown that porn addiction is a “chemical addiction“, having an effect on the brain that is very similar to drugs. It has even been called the new crack cocaine in this Wired article. Mary Anne Layden, co-director of the Sexual Trauma and Psychopathology Program at the University of Pennsylvania's Center for Cognitive Therapy, calls porn the “most concerning thing to psychological health that I know of existing today.”

First let's see how drugs work so we may see how analogous it is to porn addiction.

The National Institute of Drug Abuse reports: “Most drugs of abuse directly or indirectly target the brain's reward system by flooding the circuit with dopamine. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter present in regions of the brain that regulate movement, emotion, cognition, motivation, and feelings of pleasure. The overstimulation of this system, which rewards our natural behaviors, produces the euphoric effects sought by people who abuse drugs and teaches them to repeat the behavior.”

Porn addiction works similarly: “During the sexual process, the brain begins narrowing its focus as it releases a tidal wave of endorphins and other neurochemicals like dopamine, norepinephrine, oxytocin and serotonin.

These “natural drugs” produce a tremendous rush or high. When these chemicals are released during healthy marital intimacy we refer to them as “the fabulous four” because of the myriad positive benefits they generate between a husband and wife. When they are released during pornography use and other sexual addiction behaviors, we call them “the fearsome four” due to the severe addiction and many negative consequences they produce in the brain and nervous system.” [Read more in this informative article]

Overcoming Addiction

We know that drug addicts can get over their addiction. We know that alcoholics have been able to do the same.

So, if you are a porn addict, know this:

(1) you are not alone

(2) you are not a loser or an evil person

(3) you CAN kick this habit but only with a huge amount of jihad'l-nafs (the struggle of the soul).

For spouses, family, friends, and supporters, know that:

(1) It is important that you “recognize” the addiction and become partners towards a cure rather than continually debasing and disparaging the addict. Debasement only makes the addict feel worse and increases the desire to seek pleasure from endorphins through porn.

(2) Porn addiction is destructive not only for the addict, but also for the spouse. As we saw in my previous post on porn addiction, it has the ability to destroy marriages. That is why it is not to be taken lightly. I urge spouses of addicts to please also be a “partner in solution” rather than a police officer. You cannot hammer the addiction out of your spouse. Learn about its physiological and psychological aspects, and HELP in the recovery. If you love your spouse, you will give it your very best shot.

The Ramadan Connection

The psychologist linked above, Joe Zychik, mentions two requirements for overcoming sexual addictions– effective motivation and a reliable method.

Ramadan is a time where we are instructed to fast. Fasting has been described by the 

Prophet (ﷺ) as one of the ways to control sexual desire:

Abdullah (b. Mas'ud) (Allāh be pleased with him) reported that

Allāh's Messenger (ﷺ) said to us: “O young men, those among you who can support a wife should marry, for it restrains eyes (from casting evil glances) and preserves one from immorality; but he who cannot afford it should observe fast for it is a means of controlling the sexual desire.”

During regular days, it may be tough to observe this instruction, but Ramadan is a month where you are surrounded with “effective motivation” to fast. The last thing you want to do is go through the motions of fasting yet breaking it by engaging in your addiction. Use this opportunity to make some strong moves towards a “reliable method“.

Partner Up

Connect with a close friend, family member, or spouse–someone you can trust. Let's call this person your “partner”. Have your partner install a strong porn filter/activity monitor on your computer. Let him/her control the password and make this partner promise that they will not give it to you regardless of how much you ask for it. If it helps, make them swear by Allāh. In some cultures, putting your hand on the Quran reinforces this promise.

Make Structural Changes

Replace your SmartPhone- If you watch porn on your phone, get rid of it! Replace it with a non-internet-capable “cheap mobile”. Either you can have a nice toy or you can save yourself from porn.

Change your computer- If you watch it on your laptop; consider buying a desktop instead that stays in an open area where you wouldn't want to be caught watching porn. Turn off your TV- if u have any porn videos or DVDs, destroy them now, before you lose your spirit.

Reliable Methods

Self-Talk- Talk to yourself and your partner about your addiction. Consider this: If you are able to control yourself during fasting, why can't you control yourself during the nights of Ramadan, nights that are the holiest nights of the entire year? And if you are able to control yourself for the entire Ramadan, is the Allāh of Ramadan not the same Allāh of the rest of the months, Who watches your every move?

Make constant dua-

Ask Him, Al-Tawwab, to pardon your sins, and grant you barakah in your efforts and time to help you overcome this trial. Recognize that you are in this trial only by the will of Allāh (subḥānahu wa ta'āla), and by His will and mercy, He will lift you from this trial after you rise from it, a stronger believer. Use the nights of this most blessed months, and the moments before you break your fast to humbly ask Allāh (subḥānahu wa ta'āla) for help.

Moisten your tongue with duas such as this one:

اللهم اني ظلمت نفسي ظلما كثيرا ولا يغفر الذنوب الا انت فاغفرلي مغفرة من عندك, وارحمني انك انت الغفور الرحيم

'Alla-humma innee thalamtu nafsee thulman kathee-ra wala yaghfiru thunouba ila anta, faghfirlee maghfiratan min 'indika, warr hamnee innaka antal Ghafoor-ur Raheem.'

[O Allāh! I have wronged myself very much, and none can forgive sins, except You only. Grant me forgiveness, and have mercy upon me; indeed You are the Most Forgiving, Ever Merciful.] 

(Bukhāri)

Read Self Help Books- Beyond the self-talk, you need to continue the journey on a “reliable method”. Your best bet is to get books on breaking sex addiction. Do it NOW before you lose your motivation to read them! It is more important for you to read these books in Ramadan than to spend time on entertaining guests or even tarawih (stopping haram is more important than an optional, mustahab).

Get Counseling-

If you have access and ability to engage with a psychologist, this is the time to put that in motion. Call one and set up an appointment. Make sure this psychologist is a specialist in the area of addictions, especially sex addiction.

In other words, start doing whatever it takes during these Ramadan days of high spiritual motivation to set into motion something that will keep you porn free in the LONG RUN, as opposed to perhaps controlling it only in Ramadan.‎'

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