In a letter to a person who had asked about Niyyat in Salat, Hazrat Khalifatul-Masih V(aba), on Jan 21st, 2023, stated the following:
Niyyat (intention) pertains to the heart, and it is for this reason that no specific words have been defined for it. The Niyyat for Salat simply means that one must know for certain which Salat they are offering in his/her heart. To utter words or to iterate
اِنِّیۡ وَجَّہۡتُ وَجۡہِیَ لِلَّذِیۡ فَطَرَ السَّمٰوٰتِ وَالۡاَرۡضَ حَنِیۡفًا وَّمَاۤ اَنَا مِنَ الۡمُشۡرِکِیۡنَ (6:80)
has not been proven by any Islamic source. Accordingly, Hazrat Khalifatul-Masih I(ra) states: “Make Niyyat (intention) for Salat, but solely from the heart, not the tongue.” (Deeniyaat ka Pehla Risalah, p. 20).
To maintain focus within one’s Salat, Hazrat Musleh Maud(ra) states: “The seventh method is the Niyyat [Declaration of Intention for Prayer], because when man tells his soul that he is about to stand up for a task, then his attention focuses upon it. And Niyyat does not mean that you say that behind that Imam, so many rak‘at of Salat, facing the Holy Ka‘bah, etc., but rather one should make the intention in his own mind that he is going to offer the Salat … The Niyyat is, actually related to the heart, but as they stand up, some people do not have the slightest idea as to what they are about to do. Thus, when you are about to offer Salat, bring Salat to mind also and conceptualize what you are about to do. When you will come to understand this, you will begin to develop reverence from that very moment within you, and when reverence comes into being, then concentration can also be maintained.” (Zikr-e-Ilahi, Anwarul Uloom Vol. 3 p. 520, 521).
Even in the jurisprudence book published by Jama‘at, this clarification has been provided that the meaning of Niyyat is in fact “to intend”. Since Niyyat pertains to the heart, it should be pre-established in one’s heart which Salat, and how many rak‘at he/she is about to begin offering. To iterate the words of Niyyat are not necessary, rather, in some cases, to even iterate the words of Niyyat is not considered meritorious.
In Jama‘at literature, the jurisprudence book (Fiqah Ahmadiyya), published in 1923, by Hafiz Roshan Ali Sahib(ra) has the Quranic verse
اِنِّیۡ وَجَّہۡتُ وَجۡہِیَ لِلَّذِیۡ فَطَرَ السَّمٰوٰتِ وَالۡاَرۡضَ حَنِیۡفًا وَّمَاۤ اَنَا مِنَ الۡمُشۡرِکِیۡنَ (6:80)
written inadvertently without any reference.
As far as reciting وَجَّہۡتُ وَجۡہِیَ لِلَّذِیۡ فَطَرَ السَّمٰوٰتِ وَالۡاَرۡضَ حَنِیۡفًا وَّمَاۤ اَنَا مِنَ الۡمُشۡرِکِیۡنَ, the Thanaa’ (glorification) and other various praises after the Takbeer, it can be seen from the Ahadith that the Holy Prophet(sa) used to recite various sayings, some of which were prayers while others were praise and glorifications of God. There are multiple narrations regarding this. Some state that the Holy Prophet(sa) would recite a long prayer which initiated with وَجَّہۡتُ وَجۡہِیَ لِلَّذِیۡ فَطَرَ السَّمٰوٰتِ وَالۡاَرۡضَ حَنِیۡفًا وَّمَاۤ اَنَا مِنَ الۡمُشۡرِکِیۡنَ (Muslim, Kitabu Salatil-Musaafireen wa Qasruha, Babud-Du‘ai fi Salatil-Laili wa Qiyamihi).
Within the six authentic books of Ahadith, namely Tirmizi, Nisai, Abu Daud, and Ibn Majah, multiple narrations are found in which the Holy Prophet(sa) used to recite the Thanaa’ with the words mentioned below. Hazrat Aishah(ra) narrated:
كَانَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم إِذَا افْتَتَحَ الصَّلاَةَ قَالَ سُبْحَانَكَ اللَّهُمَّ وَبِحَمْدِكَ وَتَبَارَكَ اسْمُكَ وَتَعَالَى جَدُّكَ وَلاَ إِلَهَ غَيْرُكَ
(Jami at-Tirmizi, Kitabus-Salati, Bab Ma Yaqoolu ‘Inda-aftitahis-Salati).
Meaning, When the Holy Prophet(sa) initiated the Salat he would say: سُبْحَانَكَ اللَّهُمَّ وَبِحَمْدِكَ وَتَبَارَكَ اسْمُكَ وَتَعَالَى جَدُّكَ وَلاَ إِلَهَ غَيْرُكَ.
Similarly, Abu Hurairah(ra) states that between the Takbeer and Surah Fatihah, the Holy Prophet(sa) would remain quiet. He inquired of the Holy Prophet(sa), what do you recite during this time? The Holy Prophet(sa) replied that he recites the following prayer:
اللَّهُمَّ بَاعِدْ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَ خَطَايَاىَ كَمَا بَاعَدْتَ بَيْنَ الْمَشْرِقِ وَالْمَغْرِبِ، اللَّهُمَّ نَقِّنِي مِنَ الْخَطَايَا كَمَا يُنَقَّى الثَّوْبُ الأَبْيَضُ مِنَ الدَّنَسِ، اللَّهُمَّ اغْسِلْ خَطَايَاىَ بِالْمَاءِ وَالثَّلْجِ وَالْبَرَدِ
(Sahih Bukhari, Kitabul Azan Bab Ma Yaqoolu Ba‘dat-Takbeer).
Meaning, O Allah! Set me apart from my sins (faults) as the East and West are set apart from each other and clean me from sins as a white garment is cleaned of filth after thorough washing. O, Allah! Wash off my sins with water, snow, and hail.
Thus, there is no clear-cut evidence that reciting certain sayings or certain verses of the Holy Quran is what Niyyat Namaz comprises. Therefore, these things need not be recited before or after the Takbeer as Niyyat Namaz. Before beginning prayer, one should firmly make up his mind about which prayer he/she is about to offer, as Niyyat is a matter of the heart. No specific words need to be iterated for this. In addition, the words we recite after the Takbeer, i.e., وَجَّہۡتُ وَجۡہِیَ لِلَّذِیۡ فَطَرَ السَّمٰوٰتِ وَالۡاَرۡضَ حَنِیۡفًا وَّمَاۤ اَنَا مِنَ الۡمُشۡرِکِیۡنَ, are not recited to make our intention for prayer, rather just like the Holy Prophet(sa) recited certain prayers and praise, we also do the same to follow the Sunnah.