Niyyah (intention) in fasting

(33) Niyyah (intention) is a required condition in fard (obligatory) fasts, and in other obligatory fasts such as making up missed fasts or fasts done as an act of expiation (kafaarah), because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "There is no fast for the person who did not intend to fast from the night before." (Reported by Abu Dawood, no. 2454. A number of the scholars, such as al-Bukhaari, al-Nisaa'i, al-Tirmidhi and others thought it was likely to be mawqoof. See Talkhees al-Hubayr, 2/188)

The intention may be made at any point during the night, even it is just a moment before Fajr. Niyyah means the resolution in the heart to do something; speaking it aloud is bid'ah (a reprehensible innovation), and anyone who knows that tomorrow is one of the days of Ramadaan and wants to fast has made the intention. (Majmoo' Fataawa Shaykh al-Islam, 25/215).

If a person intends to break his fast during the day but does not do so, then according to the most correct opinion, his fast is not adversely affected by this; he is like a person who wants to speak during the prayer but does not speak. Some of the scholars think that he is not fasting as soon as he stops intending to fast, so to be on the safe side, he should make up that fast later on. Apostasy, however, invalidates the intention; there is no dispute on this matter.

The person who is fasting Ramadaan does not need to repeat the intention every night during Ramadaan; it is sufficient to have the intention at the beginning of the month. If the intention is interrupted by breaking the fast - due to travel or sickness, for example - he has to renew the intention to fast when the reason for breaking the fast is no longer present.

(34) Making the intention the night before is not a condition of general nafl (supererogatory) fasts, because of the hadeeth narrated by 'Aa'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her), who said: "The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) entered upon me one day and said, 'Do you have anything [food]?' We said, 'No.' He said, 'In that case I am fasting.'" (Reported by Muslim, 2/809, 'Abd al-Baaqi). But in the case of specific nafl fasts such as 'Arafaah and 'Aashooraa', it is better to be on the safe side and make the intention the night before.

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