What matters should one bring to mind in the intention when performing each of the following: prayer (Salah), fasting (Sawm), ablution (Wudu), ritual bath (Ghusl), and the compensatory prayer for missed prayers (Salat Qada’ al-Fawa’it) for one who repents from abandoning prayer?

Intention (niyyah) is obligatory for ablution (wudu') and ritual bathing (ghusl) according to the majority of scholars. This intention involves purifying oneself from ritual impurity (raf' al-hadath) or intending purity for prayer. As for the intention for prayer (salat), it is obligatorily by consensus. One intends to enter into the prescribed prayer, and it is necessary to specify it, such as "Dhuhr," according to the majority. However, intending "the obligatory prayer of the time" suffices according to Al-Uthaymeen. It is not a condition to specify whether the prayer is being performed on time (hadirah) or as a make-up (qada'), nor is it a condition to intend its obligatory nature according to the Hanbalis and many Shafi'is. As for the intention in fasting (siyam), it is obligatory and suffices if made during the night for obligatory fasts. This involves specifying the intention, such as "fasting Ramadan," and it is not a condition to intend its performance.