What is the ruling on the intention to fast the Day of 'Arafah and the six days of Shawwal, and is it necessary for the intention to be made at night?
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The questioner : His EminenceThe Shaykh : Does fasting the six days of Shawwal and the Day of 'Arafah have the ruling of obligatory fasting, such that it is required to make the intention at night? Or do they have the ruling of voluntary fasting, such that it is permissible for a person to intend to fast them even in the middle of the day? And is the reward of one who intends to fast in the middle of the day the same as the reward of one who ate the pre-dawn meal and fasted from the beginning of the day, or not?
The Shaykh : Yes, voluntary fasting is permissible with an intention made during the day, on the condition that one has not done anything that breaks the fast before that. For example, if a person ate after the dawn had appeared, and then intended to fast during the day, we say here: his fast cannot be valid, because he ate. But if he had not eaten since the dawn appeared, and then intended to fast during the day, and it is a voluntary fast, we say: this is permissible, because the Sunnah has come regarding this from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): that was when he entered upon his family and asked them for food, and they said: we have nothing, so he said:.
But the reward is not obtained except by intention; the reward is not obtained except by intention, by the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): So what is before the intention, no reward is recorded for him, and what is after it, his reward is recorded. And if the reward is tied to fasting the whole day, then this person did not fast the whole day, but he fasted part of the day by intention. Based on this: if someone got up after the dawn appeared and did not eat anything, and during the day intended to fast as one of the six days, and then fasted five days after this day, how many days has he fasted?
The questioner : Five and a half days.
The Shaykh : Five and a half days, if he intended from the middle of the day, five and a half days. If he intended after a quarter of the day had passed, five days and three quarters, because deeds are by intentions, and the hadith that has come:Sahih Ibn Khuzaymah 5:204.
And at that time we say to this brother: you have not obtained the reward of fasting the six days, because you did not fast six days. And the same is said regarding the Day of 'Arafah. But if the fast is a purely voluntary fast, then it is valid and he is rewarded from his intention only.
The Shaykh : Yes, voluntary fasting is permissible with an intention made during the day, on the condition that one has not done anything that breaks the fast before that. For example, if a person ate after the dawn had appeared, and then intended to fast during the day, we say here: his fast cannot be valid, because he ate. But if he had not eaten since the dawn appeared, and then intended to fast during the day, and it is a voluntary fast, we say: this is permissible, because the Sunnah has come regarding this from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): that was when he entered upon his family and asked them for food, and they said: we have nothing, so he said:
I am then fasting.
إني إذن صائمBut the reward is not obtained except by intention; the reward is not obtained except by intention, by the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):
Actions are only by intentions
إنما الأعمال بالنياتThe questioner : Five and a half days.
The Shaykh : Five and a half days, if he intended from the middle of the day, five and a half days. If he intended after a quarter of the day had passed, five days and three quarters, because deeds are by intentions, and the hadith that has come:
Whoever fasts Ramadan and then follows it with six days of Shawwal
من صام رمضان ثم أتبعه ستة أيام من شوالAnd at that time we say to this brother: you have not obtained the reward of fasting the six days, because you did not fast six days. And the same is said regarding the Day of 'Arafah. But if the fast is a purely voluntary fast, then it is valid and he is rewarded from his intention only.