Ruling on combining intentions in more than one act of worship
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Is it possible to combine the intention of fasting the three days of the month with fasting the Day of 'Arafah, and does one receive both rewards?
The overlap of acts of worship has two categories: There is a category where this is not valid: it is when the act of worship is intended for its own sake, or is a follow-up to another act. In such cases, acts of worship cannot overlap.An example of that is: For example, if a person missed the sunnah of Fajr until the sun rose, and then the time for the Dhuha prayer arrived, the sunnah of Fajr does not suffice for the Dhuha prayer, nor does the Dhuha prayer suffice for the sunnah of Fajr, and combining them is also not permissible. This is because the sunnah of Fajr is independent and the sunnah of Dhuha is independent, so one does not suffice for the other.
Likewise, if the other act is a follow-up to the one before it, they do not overlap.If a person says: I want to intend with the Fajr prayer both the obligatory prayer and the rawatib.We said: This is not valid; because the rawatib is a follow-up to the prayer, it does not suffice for it.
And the second category: The intention behind the act of worship is merely the action itself, and the act of worship itself is not the specific intention. In this case, acts of worship can overlap.Its example is: For example, if a man enters the mosque while people are praying the Fajr prayer, it is well known that a person does not sit down when entering the mosque until he prays two rak'ahs. If he joins the imam in the obligatory prayer, those two rak'ahs suffice for him. Why? Because the intention is to pray two rak'ahs upon entering the mosque. Similarly, if a person enters the mosque during the time of Dhuha and prays two rak'ahs intending them as the Dhuha prayer, they suffice for the greeting of the mosque. If he intends both, that is even better. This is the rule for the overlap of acts of worship.
Fasting is among these. For example, the intention for fasting the Day of 'Arafah is that this day comes upon you while you are fasting, whether you intended it as one of the three days you fast every month or intended it for the Day of 'Arafah. However, if you intend it for the Day of 'Arafah, it does not suffice for the three days. If you intend it as one of the three days, it suffices for the Day of 'Arafah. If you intend all of them, that is better.
The overlap of acts of worship has two categories: There is a category where this is not valid: it is when the act of worship is intended for its own sake, or is a follow-up to another act. In such cases, acts of worship cannot overlap.An example of that is: For example, if a person missed the sunnah of Fajr until the sun rose, and then the time for the Dhuha prayer arrived, the sunnah of Fajr does not suffice for the Dhuha prayer, nor does the Dhuha prayer suffice for the sunnah of Fajr, and combining them is also not permissible. This is because the sunnah of Fajr is independent and the sunnah of Dhuha is independent, so one does not suffice for the other.
Likewise, if the other act is a follow-up to the one before it, they do not overlap.If a person says: I want to intend with the Fajr prayer both the obligatory prayer and the rawatib.We said: This is not valid; because the rawatib is a follow-up to the prayer, it does not suffice for it.
And the second category: The intention behind the act of worship is merely the action itself, and the act of worship itself is not the specific intention. In this case, acts of worship can overlap.Its example is: For example, if a man enters the mosque while people are praying the Fajr prayer, it is well known that a person does not sit down when entering the mosque until he prays two rak'ahs. If he joins the imam in the obligatory prayer, those two rak'ahs suffice for him. Why? Because the intention is to pray two rak'ahs upon entering the mosque. Similarly, if a person enters the mosque during the time of Dhuha and prays two rak'ahs intending them as the Dhuha prayer, they suffice for the greeting of the mosque. If he intends both, that is even better. This is the rule for the overlap of acts of worship.
Fasting is among these. For example, the intention for fasting the Day of 'Arafah is that this day comes upon you while you are fasting, whether you intended it as one of the three days you fast every month or intended it for the Day of 'Arafah. However, if you intend it for the Day of 'Arafah, it does not suffice for the three days. If you intend it as one of the three days, it suffices for the Day of 'Arafah. If you intend all of them, that is better.