Changing the Intention in Fasting
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His Eminence the Shaykh: If a person fasts for a day and in the middle of the day he wants to break his fast, so he says: "Well, I want to break my fast," and he goes to get food but is not successful in finding food or in the availability of food,So he said: I am fasting.
With the change of his intention, the Shaykh: Is the fast obligatory or voluntary?The questioner: Voluntary.
The Shaykh: Voluntary fasting does not have to be completed; if a person wishes, he may break his fast. However, he should not break his fast except for a reason; because when a person begins an act of obedience to Allah the Exalted, he should not deviate from it unless there is a legitimate religious reason that requires him to break his fast,For example: such as guests being brought to him, and they do not see honoring them except by eating with them, or something similar to these reasons. In this case, breaking the fast is better. Or if a person invites him to a wedding feast and he sees that the host will not be pleased until this fasting person eats, then eating is better. But without a reason, he should not break his fast, and if he does break it, there is no blame on him.
As for if he intends to break the fast—as in the question—and goes to eat, then he is considered to have broken his fast, whether he finds the food and eats it or does not find it. But if he does not find it and intends to resume fasting—and we are speaking on the basis that the fast is voluntary—then he may do so. However, he will not be rewarded for this day except from the second intention. So if he intends [to break his fast] in the middle of the day, he will only have the reward of half a day. This is if he intended to break the fast but went to eat,As for if he says: saying, "I will go to the restaurant; if I find something, I will break my fast, otherwise I am on my fast." In this case, his fast is not broken until he finds something to eat and breaks his fast.
With the change of his intention, the Shaykh: Is the fast obligatory or voluntary?The questioner: Voluntary.
The Shaykh: Voluntary fasting does not have to be completed; if a person wishes, he may break his fast. However, he should not break his fast except for a reason; because when a person begins an act of obedience to Allah the Exalted, he should not deviate from it unless there is a legitimate religious reason that requires him to break his fast,For example: such as guests being brought to him, and they do not see honoring them except by eating with them, or something similar to these reasons. In this case, breaking the fast is better. Or if a person invites him to a wedding feast and he sees that the host will not be pleased until this fasting person eats, then eating is better. But without a reason, he should not break his fast, and if he does break it, there is no blame on him.
As for if he intends to break the fast—as in the question—and goes to eat, then he is considered to have broken his fast, whether he finds the food and eats it or does not find it. But if he does not find it and intends to resume fasting—and we are speaking on the basis that the fast is voluntary—then he may do so. However, he will not be rewarded for this day except from the second intention. So if he intends [to break his fast] in the middle of the day, he will only have the reward of half a day. This is if he intended to break the fast but went to eat,As for if he says: saying, "I will go to the restaurant; if I find something, I will break my fast, otherwise I am on my fast." In this case, his fast is not broken until he finds something to eat and breaks his fast.