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The question

Is the intention to move between the pillars of prayer not concluded if it occurs suddenly or while repelling whisperings (waswas), knowing that intention is obligatory for these transitions?

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Source: FtawySummarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 20261 min readAlso available in العربية
The answer

It is evident that you suffer from many obsessive thoughts, and the best treatment for them is to disregard them. Do not invalidate your prayer for not having the intention present when moving between pillars (like rising from bowing or prostrating), for the basic intention to enter into prayer is sufficient. What invalidates the prayer is intending something other than the prescribed transition when rising from bowing or prostrating. So, if the worshipper rises out of fear of something, it is not sufficient for him, and he must return to prostration. This is the view of the Shafi'is and Hanbalis. Absent-mindedness during prayer does not invalidate it, as humility (khushu') is not a condition for the validity of prayer according to the majority of scholars.

Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026

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