Is the intention to combine required when starting the first prayer?

Question:
May Allah reward you. This is a message received from a questioner who says: Is the presence of the intention to combine required when starting the first prayer?

Answer:
This is in the case of combining by advancing the prayer. They said it is required. As for combining by delaying the prayer, this is not required. The correct view is that it is not required in either case. So if he prays the first prayer and then decides to combine, there is no harm as long as the time has not passed, meaning the time for combining has not passed.