Salam,
The following is copied from...
http://www.islamway.com/english/images/prayer/pray1.htm
The Right Way To Pray
1- Intention
The prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) used to say:
All actions are by intention, and every man shall have what he intended.
Note: You shouldn't say the intention by mouth cause it is Innovation. Make it in your heart
My question is about the note highlighted in 'blue'. Please explain to me how an intention becomes innovation once spoken? Thanks.
Wa'Salam
wa'alaikumussalam warahmatullahi wabarakatuh my respected sister in Islam.
Hope everything is going well with you.
As per the question you have asked, first we need to know what is innovation.
Rasoolullah (sallallahu 'alaihi wasallam) said,
"Beware of matters newly begun, for every matter newly begun is innovation, every innovation is misguidance, and every misguidance is in hell."
Therefore, innovation is anything which is newly formed and used as a part of Deen, which Rasoolullah (sallallahu 'alaihi wasallam) did not do. Islam is completed before 1400 years and anything which are included to it after that, is a Bid'ah (Innovation).
Allah (subuhaanahu wata'aala) revealed this Ayah on the day Rasoolullah (sallallahu 'alaihi wasallam) gave the Khutbathul 'Arafah in his Hajj.
" ..This day, I have perfected your religion for you, completed My favor upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion." Surah al-Ma'idhah (5:3).
Also Rasoolullah (sallallahu 'alaihi wasallam) said,
"Whosoever originates an innuendo in this matter of ours [i.e., Islam] that is not a part of it, will have it rejected."
So when we read Niyah (intention) by mouth, it is an Innovation. Why? 'Ulama says because Rasoolullah (sallallahu 'alaihi wasallam) did not read the Niyah by mouth. It is necessary to have a proper Niyah in heart when we do any kind of 'Ibadah (Worship).
Let me make it very simple to wipe out any confusion. When we leave the computer and go to make Wudu (Ablution) to do 'Asr prayer, we already have made our intention. How? We left the computer for what? To make Wudu. For what? To make Salatul 'Asr. So the Niyah is already made and we do not need to say the Niyah by mouth again.
Hope this is simple and clear my sister.
wassalam 'alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh