What is the ruling on one whose intention wavers between breaking the fast and completing it while making up a missed fast?
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The questioner : May Allah reward you, O Shaykh. What is the ruling on one whose intention wavers between breaking the fast or completing the fast while making up a missed fast?
The Shaykh : But he is fasting.
The questioner : Yes, he abstained after the dawn.
The Shaykh : After the dawn, or before?
The questioner : No, after the dawn.
The Shaykh : So he did not intend to fast until after the dawn?
The questioner : Yes, indeed.
The Shaykh : His fast is not valid as long as he did not intend to fast until after the dawn; his fast is not valid.
The questioner : Can he convert it into a voluntary fast?
The Shaykh : This is according to the opinion of those who say that a voluntary fast is not valid before performing the make-up fast; it is not valid to convert it into a voluntary fast. And according to the second opinion, it is valid, but it is not counted among the six days, because the six days are not observed except after making up the fasts of Ramadan. As for one who fasted and intended to fast before the dawn and continued, and during the day he wavered whether to complete it or break it?
The questioner : This is regarding make-up fasts, O Shaykh.
The Shaykh : Whether it is make-up fasts or not, in Ramadan a person cannot waver because he must remain fasting. But in make-up fasts, this does not invalidate his fast according to the correct opinion, because his initial intention was firm, and wavering does not negate what is already established. Do you understand? Some scholars said that if he wavers during the day whether to complete it or not, his fast is invalid. The correct view is that it is not invalid, unlike the one who did not intend to fast until after the dawn; his make-up fast cannot be valid. Yes.
The Shaykh : But he is fasting.
The questioner : Yes, he abstained after the dawn.
The Shaykh : After the dawn, or before?
The questioner : No, after the dawn.
The Shaykh : So he did not intend to fast until after the dawn?
The questioner : Yes, indeed.
The Shaykh : His fast is not valid as long as he did not intend to fast until after the dawn; his fast is not valid.
The questioner : Can he convert it into a voluntary fast?
The Shaykh : This is according to the opinion of those who say that a voluntary fast is not valid before performing the make-up fast; it is not valid to convert it into a voluntary fast. And according to the second opinion, it is valid, but it is not counted among the six days, because the six days are not observed except after making up the fasts of Ramadan. As for one who fasted and intended to fast before the dawn and continued, and during the day he wavered whether to complete it or break it?
The questioner : This is regarding make-up fasts, O Shaykh.
The Shaykh : Whether it is make-up fasts or not, in Ramadan a person cannot waver because he must remain fasting. But in make-up fasts, this does not invalidate his fast according to the correct opinion, because his initial intention was firm, and wavering does not negate what is already established. Do you understand? Some scholars said that if he wavers during the day whether to complete it or not, his fast is invalid. The correct view is that it is not invalid, unlike the one who did not intend to fast until after the dawn; his make-up fast cannot be valid. Yes.