Lesson 1- Niyyah for the prayer

 The Description of the Prayer of the Prophet (ﷺ) 

Lesson 1: Niyyah (Intention) For The Prayer

Intention should be made in the heart and to utter it audibly is an innovation.

Evidence from the Sunnah:

عَنْ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَبِي حَفْصٍ عُمَرَ بْنِ الْخَطَّابِ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ: " إنَّمَا الْأَعْمَالُ بِالنِّيَّاتِ، وَإِنَّمَا لِكُلِّ امْرِئٍ مَا نَوَى، فَمَنْ كَانَتْ هِجْرَتُهُ إلَى اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ فَهِجْرَتُهُ إلَى اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ، وَمَنْ كَانَتْ هِجْرَتُهُ لِدُنْيَا يُصِيبُهَا أَوْ امْرَأَةٍ يَنْكِحُهَا فَهِجْرَتُهُ إلَى مَا هَاجَرَ إلَيْهِ".

It is narrated on the authority of Amirul Mu'minin, Abu Hafs 'Umar bin al-Khattab (رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ) who said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: 

"Actions are (judged) by motives (niyyah), so each man will have what he intended. Thus, he whose migration (hijrah) was to Allah and His Messenger, his migration is to Allah and His Messenger; but he whose migration was for some worldly thing he might gain, or for a wife he might marry, his migration is to that for which he migrated."

Sahih: Recorded in Sahih Bukhari  (no. 1)

Facing The Qiblah During the Prayer

It is obligatory to face the Qiblah (direction of the Ka’bah in Makkah) during both the obligatory and optional prayers, except for the person who is unable to, like the person praying on a plane or a ship that turns away from Qiblah, such a person should begin their prayer facing the Qiblah and there is no issue if the direction changes whilst they are performing it.

Evidence from the Qur'an:

وَمِنْ حَيْثُ خَرَجْتَ فَوَلِّ وَجْهَكَ شَطْرَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ

“And from where so ever you start forth (for prayers), turn your face in the direction of al-Masjid al-Haraam (at Makkah)...."

Qur'an: Surah Baqarah (2): 150

Evidence from the Sunnah:

عَنِ الْبَرَاءِ بْنِ عَازِبٍ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ قَالَ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم صَلَّى نَحْوَ بَيْتِ الْمَقْدِسِ سِتَّةَ عَشَرَ أَوْ سَبْعَةَ عَشَرَ شَهْرًا، وَكَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يُحِبُّ أَنْ يُوَجَّهَ إِلَى الْكَعْبَةِ، فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ ‏{‏قَدْ نَرَى تَقَلُّبَ وَجْهِكَ فِي السَّمَاءِ‏}‏ فَتَوَجَّهَ نَحْوَ الْكَعْبَةِ، وَقَالَ السُّفَهَاءُ مِنَ النَّاسِ ـ وَهُمُ الْيَهُودُ ـ مَا وَلاَّهُمْ عَنْ قِبْلَتِهِمُ الَّتِي كَانُوا عَلَيْهَا ‏{‏قُلْ لِلَّهِ الْمَشْرِقُ وَالْمَغْرِبُ يَهْدِي مَنْ يَشَاءُ إِلَى صِرَاطٍ مُسْتَقِيمٍ‏}‏ فَصَلَّى مَعَ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم رَجُلٌ ثُمَّ خَرَجَ بَعْدَ مَا صَلَّى، فَمَرَّ عَلَى قَوْمٍ مِنَ الأَنْصَارِ فِي صَلاَةِ الْعَصْرِ نَحْوَ بَيْتِ الْمَقْدِسِ فَقَالَ هُوَ يَشْهَدُ أَنَّهُ صَلَّى مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم، وَأَنَّهُ تَوَجَّهَ نَحْوَ الْكَعْبَةِ‏.‏ فَتَحَرَّفَ الْقَوْمُ حَتَّى تَوَجَّهُوا نَحْوَ الْكَعْبَةِ‏.‏

Narrated by Bara' bin Azib: Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) prayed facing Baitul-Maqdis for sixteen or seventeen months but he loved to face the Kaba (at Mecca) so Allah revealed: "Verily, We have seen the turning of your face to the heaven!" (2:144) 

So the Prophet (ﷺ) faced the Kaba and the fools amongst the people namely "the Jews" said, "What has turned them from their Qibla (Baitul-Maqdis) which they formerly observed"" (Allah revealed): "Say: 'To Allah belongs the East and the West. He guides whom he will to a straight path'." (2:142) 

A man prayed with the Prophet (facing the Kaba) and went out. He saw some of the Ansar praying the Asr prayer with their faces towards Baitul-Maqdis, he said, "I bear witness that I prayed with Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) facing the Kaba." So all the people turned their faces towards the Ka`ba.

Sahih: Recorded in Sahih Bukhari  (no. 399)

Lesson 2 Tomorrow Inshaa'Allah - Rulings Related to Facing the Qiblah During Optional Prayers