Is it permissible to change the intention of prayer after having started it?

Changing the intention in prayer can be either from a specific (prayer) to a specific (prayer), or from a general (prayer) to a specific (prayer), or from a specific (prayer) to a general (prayer).

The first two scenarios are not valid:

- An example of changing from a specific to a specific: One might begin with the intention of praying Dhuha (forenoon) prayer, then remember that they have not prayed the Fajr (dawn) supererogatory prayer, and thus change their intention to it. Or one might be performing the Asr (afternoon) prayer and then remember that they have not prayed the Dhuhr (noon) prayer, intending it as Dhuhr. This is not valid.

- An example of changing from a general to a specific: One might be performing a general supererogatory (nafila) prayer and then change their intention to the Fajr prayer or its sunnah (definition) (supererogatory) prayer. This is not valid.

However, the third scenario is valid, which is changing from a specific to a general:

- An example of this: One might begin a prayer intending it as the Fajr supererogatory prayer, but during the prayer, it becomes clear that they have already performed it. In this case, their intention shifts to merely the intention of prayer (a general prayer).

- Another example: One might begin to perform an obligatory (fard) prayer alone, then a congregation arrives, and they intend to change the obligatory prayer to a supererogatory one so they can perform the obligatory prayer with the congregation. This is permissible.