# Niyyah

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{{Short description|Islamic concept}}
[[File:U.S. Navy Personnel Specialist Seaman Brandon Guillen lays out Islamic prayer rugs in the chapel of the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) in the Pacific Ocean Nov. 5, 2013 131105-N-TO979-001.jpg|thumb|Muslims prepare for Salat by spreading a [prayer mat](/source/Prayer_rug).]]
'''Niyyah''' (Arabic: نِيَّةٌ, variously transliterated '''niyyah''', '''niyya''' {{IPA|ar|ˈnij.jah|}}, "intention") is an [Islam](/source/Islam)ic concept: the intention in one's heart to do an act for the sake of [God](/source/God_in_Islam) ([Allah](/source/Allah)).<ref>{{Cite book|last=Maqsood|first=Ruqaiyyah Waris|title=Islam|date=1994|publisher=Hodder & Stoughton|isbn=0-340-60901-X|location=London|pages=51|oclc=32133474}}</ref>

The general Islamic principle of ''niyyah'' is laid out in Chapter 33 (Al-Ahzab) of the Quran in Ayat (Verse) 5:
{{blockquote|There is no blame on you for what you do by mistake, but (only) for what you do intentionally. And Allah is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.}}

According to [Ibn Rajab](/source/Ibn_Rajab)'s ''Commentary on Imam Nawawi's Forty Hadith: Hadith #1'', actions are judged according to intentions: "['Umar b. al-Khattab](/source/Umar) narrated that the Prophet said: Deeds are [a result] only of the intentions [of the actor], and an individual is [rewarded] only according to that which he intends."<ref>{{Cite web|date=|title=Commentary: Hadith "Deeds are by Intentions"|url=http://www.sunnah.org/ibadaat/alamal_bilniyyat.htm|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200223034811/http://sunnah.org/ibadaat/alamal_bilniyyat.htm|archive-date=2020-02-23|access-date=2021-06-11|website=sunnah.org}}</ref>

Correspondingly, one's niyyah or intention is considered to be one of the most important requirements of ritual prayer. There is some debate as to the necessity of an audible utterance of niyyah. Most scholars agree, however, that as niyyah is spoken from the heart, it does not have to be uttered. Additionally, there is no evidence that the [Islamic prophet](/source/Prophets_of_Islam) [Muhammad](/source/Muhammad) or any of [his companions](/source/companions_of_the_Prophet) ever uttered a niyyah aloud before prayer.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Shuʼaib|first=Tajuddin B.|title=The prescribed prayer made simple|date=1983|publisher=Daʼawah Enterprises International|isbn=0-9610618-0-4|location=Los Angeles, Calif.|oclc=10299106}}</ref>

A [Muslim](/source/Muslim) must have niyyah before commencing ''[salat](/source/salat)'' (prayer), and in order to commence the ''[Hajj](/source/Hajj)'' (pilgrimage to [Mecca](/source/Mecca)).

== See also ==
* [Kavanah](/source/Kavanah), a similar concept in Judaism

==References==
<references/>

{{Islamic prayer}}
{{Authority control}}

Category:Salah
Category:Arabic words and phrases
Category:Salah terminology

{{Islam-stub}}

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