Abū Hanīfa. Abū Hanīfa concedes that purification performed without intention is not an act of worship and carries no reward. The disagreement concerns only whether prayer is valid with such purification. Thus, the Prophet’s saying, may Allah bless him and grant him peace,

“Actions are only by intentions,”

does not establish the point at issue unless another premise is added: purification can only be an act of worship, and an act of worship is valid only with intention. Yet if this premise is accepted, there is no need to invoke this hadith as evidence. Everyone agrees that whatever can only be an act of worship is valid only with intention, unlike acts that may or may not constitute worship, such as returning entrusted property and repaying debts. The question therefore hinges on whether ablution can occur without being an act of worship.

The majority cite the texts concerning its reward, such as his saying:

“When a Muslim servant performs ablution, his sins depart with the water, or with the last drop of water.”

They cite this and similar reports, arguing that ablution carries a reward because of the general scope of these texts. Since there can be no reward without intention, ablution can only be performed with intention.

Abū Hanīfa says: Purification is one of the conditions of prayer, so intention is not required for it, just as it is not required for wearing clothing or removing physical impurity. The others reply: Wearing clothing and removing impurity may or may not constitute acts of worship. Thus, no text promises a person reward for wearing clothing or removing impurity as such, whereas texts do promise reward for ablution as such.

Abū Hanīfa says: The texts promise reward for ablution as ordinarily performed.