The time of making the intention for Ramadan fasts, Nafl fasts and fasts of specified vows (Nazr-e-Mu’ayyan) starts after the sun has set and remains until the time of Shar’i midday (Dahwa Kubra) begins.

A fast of specified vow is the one that is kept on a particular day for the pleasure of Allah عزوجل to fulfil a vow. For example, if someone says, ‘I will fast on every Monday of this year’s Rabi’-un-Nur for the pleasure of Allah عزوجل it is necessary that the words of vow be uttered loud enough to be heard), it will then become Wajib to fast on that particular day. The intention of these three types of fast can be made within the timings described above, the fast will be valid.

(Rad-dul-Muھtar, pp. 332, vol. 3)

How to ascertain midday time (Dahwa Kubra)

You might be thinking as to what the time of midday is! An easy way of obtaining the time of Midday (Dahwa Kubra) is to find out the duration between dawn and sunset first and then divide it by two; the time of Midday will start as soon as the first half ends.

For example, if some day’s time of dawn is 5 a.m. and that of sunset is exactly 6 p.m. then there will be the duration of 13 hours between the dawn and the sunset. Upon dividing the number 13 by two, there will be two halves of 6½ hours, and if we add 6½ hours to 5 a.m. it will become 11:30 a.m. which is the initial time of midday. The intention of these three types of fast cannot be made as soon as the time of midday starts.

(Rad-dul-Muhtar, pp. 341, vol. 3, Mulakhkhasan)

Except the above-mentioned three types of fasts, it is necessary to make the intention of all other types of fasts within the duration from sunset to dawn (Sub-e-Sadiq). If somebody makes the intention after dawn (Sub-e-Sadiq) his intention and fast will not be valid. The fasts whose intention must be made within the night include:

1. The fast for making up for the missed fast of Ramadan.

2. The fast for expiation (Kaffarah).

3. The fast for making up for a Nafl fast. (A Nafl fast becomes Wajib if somebody begins it, and it is a sin to break it without a valid exemption of Shari’ah. In case of breaking a Nafl fast whether due to a Shar’i exemption or without a Shar’i exemption, it is Wajib to make up for it).

4. The fast for fulfilling an unspecified vow, (Nazr-e-Ghair Mu’ayyan) that implies vowing to fast for the pleasure of Allah عزوجل without specifying a particular day. Fulfilling such a vow and any other Shar’i vow made for the pleasure of Allah عزوجل is Wajib provided the vow is made loud enough for oneself to hear. For instance, saying ‘I will fast for the pleasure of Allah عزوجل This kind of vow does not mention a particular day, therefore whenever one fasts with the intention of fulfilling this vow, it will be fulfilled.

It is a condition that the words of the vow be uttered loud enough to be heard by the one who is uttering them. However, if someone utters his vow loud enough for himself to hear but could not hear because of deafness or any noise then his vow is still valid. It is necessary to make the intention of these fasts within the night.

(Derived from Rad-dul-Muhtar, pp. 344, vol. 3)

Twenty Madani pearls regarding intention of fast

1. The time of making the intention for Ramadan fasts, Nafl fasts and fasts of specified vows (Nazr-e-Mu’ayyan) starts after the sun has set and remains until the time of Shar’i midday (Dahwa Kubra) begins. Therefore, if one makes intention anytime during this span, these fasts will be valid.

(Rad-dul-Muhtar, pp. 332, vol. 3)

2. The intention of heart (willingness in heart) is, in fact, a valid intention. To utter it verbally is not a condition but is preferable. If one makes the intention for a Ramadan fast at night, he should say:

نویت ان اصوم غدا للہ من فرض رمضان

Translation: I have intended to fast tomorrow as a Far fast of Ramadan for Allah عزوجل.

3. If one makes the intention in the morning (before midday) he should say:

نویت ان اصوم ھذا الیوم للہ تعالی من فرض رمضان

Translation: I have intended to fast today as a Fard fast of Ramadan for Allah عزوجل

(Rad-dul-Muhtar, pp. 332, vol. 3)

4. To utter the words of intention in Arabic will be valid only when one understands its meaning. Further, making the intention verbally whether in Arabic or in any other language will be valid if the intention is present in the heart as well.

5. One can also utter the words of intention in his mother tongue provided the intention is present in heart at the time of utterance whether he utters it in Arabic or in any other language. Otherwise, simply uttering the words in a state of inattention will not be valid. However, if someone utters the intention without having it present in heart but later on he makes the intention in heart as well within the stipulated time, it will be valid.

(Rad-dul-Muhtar, pp. 332, vol. 3)

6. If one makes intention during the day (but before Shar’i midday) it is necessary to make the intention of fast from the time of dawn (Sub-e-Sadiq). If he says ‘I am fasting from now onwards (and not since dawn)’ his fast will not be valid.

(Al-Jauhara-tun- Nayyarah, pp. 175, vol. 1)

7. The intention made between dawn (Subh -e-Sadiq) and Shar’i midday will be valid provided one has not done any act that invalidates the fast, from dawn to the time of making the intention. However, if one eats or drinks or engages in intercourse forgetfully after dawn, the intention will still be valid as eating or drinking forgetfully even if one is full will not invalidate the fast.

(Derived from Rad-dul-MuEtar, pp. 367, vol. 3)

8. Making such an intention as ‘If I’m invited to a meal tomorrow then I won’t fast but if I’m not invited then I will fast’ is not valid; fast will not be valid in case of making such an ambiguous intention.

(Fatawa ‘Alamgiri, pp. 195, vol. 1)

9. During the day of Ramadan, if somebody neither intended to fast nor intended to miss it, despite knowing that it is the holy month of Ramadan, his fast will not be valid.

(Fatawa ‘Alamgiri, pp. 195, vol. 1)

10. If someone made the intention any time at night after the sunset, then he ate something within the night, his intention will still remain valid. There is no need to make a new one.

(Al-Jauhara-tun-Nayyarah, pp. 175, vol. 1)

11. During the night, if someone made the intention to fast but afterwards firmly decided not to fast within the same night, this will invalidate the first intention. If the intention [for fast] is not renewed, his fast will not be valid even if he spends the whole day without eating or drinking like a fasting person.

(Durr-e-Mukhtar ma’ Rad-dul- MuHtar, pp. 345, vol. 3)

12. As the mere intention of talking during Salah does not invalidate the Salah unless one talks, likewise, only intending to break fast during fasting will not invalidate it. The fast will only become invalid when one physically does the act that invalidates it.

(Al-Jauhara-tun-Nayyarah, pp. 175, vol. 1)

In other words, even if a person intends to break his fast, it will not become invalid unless he eats, drinks or does any other such act that invalidates it.

13. Eating Sahari is equivalent to making the intention regardless of whether it is the fast of Ramadan or any other fast. However, if one intends not to fast that day whilst eating Sahari, this Sahari will not be considered his intention.

(Al-Jauhara-tun-Nayyarah, pp. 176, vol. 1)

14. It is necessary to make a new intention every day for each fast of Ramadan. If one makes the intention for the whole of Ramadan just once on the first day of the month or any other day, it will be regarded as the intention for that (one) day only, not for the rest of the days.

(ibid, p. 167)

15. Except for the fast of Ramadan, that of specified vow (Nazr-e-Mu’ayyan) and Nafl fasts, the intention for all other fasts must be made during the night or at the precise time of dawn. Such fasts include Qaea fasts of Ramadan, fasts for unspecified vow (Nazr-e-Ghair Mu’ayyan), Qaea of Nafl fasts (i.e. the Qaea of the Nafl fast that was broken), Qada of fasts for specified vow, fasts for expiation and Hajj-e-Tamattu’. It is also necessary to specify the type of fast when making the intention. If one makes the intention for any of these fasts on the morning (from dawn till before the midday beings) it will turn into a Nafl fast (and not the one intended), but this Nafl fast must still be completed. If he breaks it, making up for it (by fasting another day) will be Wajib even if he is aware that this is not the fast he had intended but a Nafl one.

(Durr-e-Mukhtar ma’ Rad-dul-Muhtar, pp. 344, vol. 3)

16. Somebody fasts assuming that he has to make up for a missed fast but then he realises that his assumption was wrong. If he breaks his fast instantly in this case, though there is no harm, it is still preferable to complete it. If he does not break the fast immediately, he will have to complete it, breaking it now will not be permissible. If he breaks this fast, making up for it will be Wajib.

(Rad-dul-MuEtar, pp. 346, vol. 3)

17. After the dawn, the intention for a Qada fast made during the night cannot be changed into the intention of a Nafl fast.

(ibid, p. 345)

18. Making the intention of fast whilst offering Salah is also valid.

(Durr-e-Mukhtar ma’ Rad-dul-Muhtar, pp. 345, vol. 3)

19. If one has missed several fasts, the intention to make up for them should include the words: ‘The first fast of Ramadan I missed’ – ‘The second fast of Ramadan I missed’ and so on. If he has missed some in the present year and some in the previous year then he should intend in these words: ‘The Qaa of this Ramadan’ – ‘The Qada of that Ramadan.’ Even if he does not specify the day he missed, the fast will still be valid.

(Fatawa ‘Alamgiri, pp. 196, vol. 1)

20 Allah عزوجل forbid if one breaks a fast of Ramadan deliberately, it will become Fard not only to keep a fast as its Qada but also to fast for 60 days as expiation (provided the conditions of expiation are met). If he fasts for 61 days without specifying the day of Qada fast, then both the Qada and expiation fasts will be valid.

(Fatawa ‘Alamgiri, pp. 196, vol. 1)