Is it permissible to fast voluntarily without a prior intention?
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The questioner : Is it permissible to fast voluntarily without a prior intention?
The Shaykh : Voluntary fasting is permissible with an intention made during the day. The evidence for this is that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) entered upon his family one day and asked: They said: No. He said: .
However, for fasting that is restricted to a specific day, an intention made during the day is not sufficient. For example, it is prescribed to fast on the Day of 'Arafah. If one does not intend to fast until during the day, he will not obtain the reward associated with fasting on the Day of 'Arafah, because he did not fast the entire day. Likewise, regarding the fasting of the six days of Shawwal that follow Ramadan, if a person does not intend to fast until during the day, a full day of fasting will not be recorded for him. If, for instance, he intended to fast from the 'Asr prayer on the first day and then fasted for five days thereafter, he did not complete the fasting of six days, because he fasted five and a half days.
This is because the reward is not recorded except through intention, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Sahih al-Bukhari 1 Since he did not intend to fast at the beginning of the day, he does not obtain the completeness of the day.
The questioner : May Allah bless you.
The Shaykh : Voluntary fasting is permissible with an intention made during the day. The evidence for this is that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) entered upon his family one day and asked:
Do you have anything?
هل عندكم شيء؟Then I am fasting.
فإني إذاً صائمHowever, for fasting that is restricted to a specific day, an intention made during the day is not sufficient. For example, it is prescribed to fast on the Day of 'Arafah. If one does not intend to fast until during the day, he will not obtain the reward associated with fasting on the Day of 'Arafah, because he did not fast the entire day. Likewise, regarding the fasting of the six days of Shawwal that follow Ramadan, if a person does not intend to fast until during the day, a full day of fasting will not be recorded for him. If, for instance, he intended to fast from the 'Asr prayer on the first day and then fasted for five days thereafter, he did not complete the fasting of six days, because he fasted five and a half days.
This is because the reward is not recorded except through intention, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
The reward of deeds depends upon the intentions and every person will get the reward according to what he has intended.
إنما الأعمال بالنيات وإنما لكل امرئ ما نوىThe questioner : May Allah bless you.