Indications of Intention in the Heart

Question:
Some people ask, meaning, returning to the issue of intention and forming it the night before: how do I know from myself that I have intended to fast for tomorrow? Is it sufficient, for example, to get up for the pre-dawn meal, considering that this is the purpose, and thus I have intended to fast tomorrow? Does this apply every day, or what?

Answer:
Yes, the intention is in the heart; it is an act of the heart, and it is indicated by signs. If a person gets up to eat the pre-dawn meal, he has intended it; his getting up and eating are evidence of the intention in the heart. If he performs an act that indicates his intention, that is sufficient, because he does not perform this act, nor get up, nor eat the pre-dawn meal, except with the intention that he will fast. It is not a necessary condition that he give the intention a specific form or that he verbalize it; this is not what is required. As we mentioned, the intention is an act of the heart, and its place is the heart, and it has signs that indicate it. If a person performs the ablution and gets up to pray, that is evidence of his intention. If he performs the ablution and goes to the mosque to pray, that is evidence of his intention, even if he does not say, "I intend." Likewise, if he gets up in the last part of the night, eats the pre-dawn meal, and prepares for fasting, that is evidence of his intention, even if he does not say, "I intend to fast." Yes.