Is specifying the obligatory nature (Fardiyyah) necessary in the intention for a prescribed prayer?
Chapter on the Description of Prayer
Al-Mughni
Book of Prayer
Primary text
There is a disagreement among scholars regarding the necessity of intending the obligatory nature (Fardiyyah). Some maintain that it is not required because specifying the prayer (e.g., Dhuhr) is sufficient, as the specified Dhuhr for the obligated person can only be the Fard. Ibn Hamid, however, asserts that intending Fardiyyah is necessary because a specified prayer can sometimes be a voluntary act, such as the Dhuhr of a child or a repeated prayer, thus requiring three elements in the intention: the act, the specification, and the obligatory nature. This view is supported by the statement: 'He intends by it the written [prayer].'
Supporting text
It is suggested that the apparent meaning of some scholarly statements implies that specification is not required if one intends the obligatory prayer, as the intention defaults to the present required prayer. However, the correct view is that specification is necessary, as mere presence does not suffice, analogous to how presence does not negate the need to specify the obligatory prayer when one has accumulated missed prayers.