A person intends it specifically, whether it is an obligatory act or a voluntary one, for indeed actions are only by intention, and indeed a person will have only what he intended, according to the ruling of the chosen Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him.

Alqamah bin Waqas Laithi narrates that I heard Sayyiduna Umar bin Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him), he was saying that I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) say that the acceptance of deeds depends upon the intention. Yahya bin Habib has added these words, "And indeed every person will get only that which he intended."

Sayyiduna Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) narrates that when the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) would stand for prayer, he would raise both his hands up to his shoulders, then say «‏‏‏‏اللهُ أَكْبَرُ» ‏‏‏‏. Then, when he intended to bow (ruku‘), he would do the same (raise the hands), and when he raised his head from bowing, he would do the same (raise the hands). And when he raised his blessed head from prostration, he would not raise his hands.

Sayyiduna Wa'il bin Hujr (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that I prayed with the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and his noble companions, and I saw them performing Raf' al-Yadayn (raising the hands) in their shirts (or cloaks) with caps.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) used to spread his fingers wide apart during prayer. Imam Abu Bakr (may Allah have mercy on him) says that Muhammad bin Rafi’ narrated this hadith to us before we traveled to Iraq. He said that ‘Abdullah bin Sa‘id Ashajj Abu Sa‘id Kindi narrated the hadith to us, except that in his narration he said: Indeed, when the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) would stand for prayer, he would spread his fingers wide apart very well.

Hazrat Saeed bin Sam'an narrates that Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) came to us in the mosque of Banu Zuraiq and said that there are three actions which the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) used to do, but people have abandoned them. When the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) would stand for prayer, he would do like this—Abu Amir demonstrated with his hand—and he neither kept much distance between his fingers nor joined them together (rather, he kept them in a moderate position), and said that Ibn Abi Dhi’b had shown us in this manner. Imam Abu Bakr (may Allah have mercy on him) says that (our teacher) Yahya bin Hakeem demonstrated to us by raising his hands and did not keep much distance between his fingers, nor did he join them together, and he raised both his hands up to above his head. And the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) would stand silently for a short while before reciting and would ask Allah Almighty for His grace and bounty, and whenever he (peace and blessings be upon him) would prostrate in prayer and rise from prostration, he would say «‏‏‏‏اللهُ أَكْبَرُ» ‏‏‏‏. Imam Abu Bakr (may Allah have mercy on him) says that this confusion is, in every case, a very severe confusion. I do not know to which narrator this belongs. However, in the words that he (peace and blessings be upon him) raised his hands well, there is no doubt that the one praying should raise his hands above his head at the beginning of the prayer.

Hazrat Saeed bin Sam'an narrates from Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him), so he narrated the complete hadith. (Both students of Ibn Abi Dhi’b, Yahya and Ibn Abi Fudayk) say that he raised his hands high. Both did not mention any confusion, and in both of their narrations, the incident of Ibn Abi Dhi’b is not mentioned that he showed his students the manner of opening or closing the fingers.

Narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) entered the mosque. (After him) a man came, he performed prayer (then came to the service of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him) and greeted him with salam. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) replied to his salam, then said: "Go back and pray, for you have not prayed." (He prayed again and came back, but the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, repeated the same instruction) until the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did this three times (sent him back and he prayed). Then the man said, "O Messenger of Allah, by Him Who has sent you with the truth, I do not know any way (of prayer) other than this (so please teach me the correct way)." The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "When you stand for prayer (facing the qiblah), say «‏‏‏‏اللهُ أَكْبَرُ» ‏‏‏‏, then recite whatever portion of the Qur'an is easy for you, then bow with complete calmness and tranquility, then rise until you stand straight with moderation, then prostrate with complete calmness and tranquility, then when you raise your head from prostration, sit with complete calmness. And do this (maintain calmness and tranquility) throughout your prayer." Imam Abu Bakr (may Allah have mercy on him) said: This is the narration of Bundar.

Sayyiduna Ali bin Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) that when he (peace and blessings be upon him) would begin the prayer, he would say «‏‏‏‏اللهُ أَكْبَرُ» ‏‏‏‏ and then recite this supplication, «‏‏‏‏وَجَّهْتُ وَجْهِيَ لِلَّذِي فَطَرَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ حَنِيفًا، وَمَا أَنَا مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ، إِنَّ صَلَاتِي، وَنُسُكِي، وَمَحْيَايَ، وَمَمَاتِي لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ، لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ، وَبِذَلِكَ أُمِرْتُ وَأَنَا مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ، اللّٰهُمَّ أَنْتَ الْمَلِكُ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ أَنْتَ رَبِّي، وَأَنَا عَبْدُكَ، ظَلَمْتُ نَفْسِي، وَاعْتَرَفْتُ بِذَنْبِي، فَاغْفِرْ لِي ذُنُوبِي جَمِيعًا، إِنَّهُ لَا يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ، وَاهْدِنِي لِأَحْسَنِ الْأَخْلَاقِ لَا يَهْدِي لِأَحْسَنِهَا إِلَّا أَنْتَ، وَاصْرِفْ عَنِّي سَيِّئَهَا لَا يَصْرِفُ عَنِّي سَيِّئَهَا إِلَّا أَنْتَ، لَبَّيْكَ وَسَعْدَيْكَ وَالْخَيْرُ كُلُّهُ فِي يَدَيْكَ، وَالشَّرُّ لَيْسَ إِلَيْكَ، أَنَا بِكَ وَإِلَيْكَ، تَبَارَكْتَ وَتَعَالَيْتَ، أَسْتَغْفِرُكَ وَأَتُوبُ إِلَيْكَ» ‏‏‏‏ "I have turned my face towards the One who created the heavens and the earth, being upright, and I am not among the polytheists. Indeed, my prayer, my sacrifice, my living, and my dying are for Allah, the Lord of all the worlds. He has no partner; I have been commanded of this, and I am the first of the Muslims. O Allah, You are the King, there is no true deity except You. You are my Lord and I am Your servant. I have wronged myself and I confess and admit my sins, so forgive all my sins, for surely none forgives sins except You. Grant me the ability to adopt good and excellent character; You alone grant the ability for good character, and turn me away from bad character; only You can turn me away from bad character. I am present (to carry out Your commands) and ready to obey; all good is in Your hands, and evil is not attributed to You. I stand by Your help and to You is the return. You are most blessed and Your essence is most exalted. I seek Your forgiveness and turn to You (in repentance)." In the narration of Abu Salih, these words are included: "There is no deity except You."

The Imam narrates from his teacher Muhammad bin Yahya in the same manner as the aforementioned narration. Muhammad bin Yahya says that (among my teachers) one of them adds a few words to it. Imam Abu Bakr, may Allah have mercy on him, says that the meaning of your statement "and evil is not attributed to You" is that evil is not among those things by which nearness to You is sought.