Ramaḍān and Fasting

Is One Intention Enough for Ramadan Fasting?

Shaykh Muqbil ibn Hādī al-Wādiʿī explains that intentions for fasting are required daily, based on the Prophet’s ﷺ teaching that actions are judged by intentions. He clarifies that intention is internal, not verbal, and that waking for suḥūr and abstaining from food and drink suffice.

September 7, 2016

Questioner:

Is it obligatory to make the intention [to fast] in Ramaḍān every day or is one sufficient to make one intention for the whole month, and when should the intention be made?

Shaykh Muqbil bin Hādī al-Wādiʿī

All praise is due to Allah . The Prophet said: “Indeed actions are by intentions, and everyone person will receive what he intended”. This is a proof of [the obligation] of having an intention for actions. So what is apparent is that it is obligatory for a person to intend to fast daily.

This does not mean that one vocalizes: “I’ve intended to fast on such and such day of Ramaḍān”, Rather, what is meant is that he resolves [the action in his heart].

So waking up for suhūr [to eat before fajr], is considered an intention, and abstaining from food and drink, is considered an intention. As for the ḥadīth “Whoever sleeps without intending to fast, there is no fast for him”, this is a weak mu’tarib ḥadīth, even if some scholars have classified it ḥasan. What is correct is that it contains instability (weakness).