Question 490) - You mentioned the condition of intention when you defined fasting. What are the details thereof?

A: The intention is the affirmation in the heart that one is fasting a particular fast. There are several categories of fasts: 1. Fard i.e. Ramadan 2. Specified Nazr [vow] such as vowing to fast next Thursday or the day a particular date will occur. 3. General vow such as vowing to fast for the sake of Allaah. 4. Qada of Ramadan. 5. A Wajib Qada of nullified Nafl Fast. 6. Kaffarah e.g. broken oath; broken fast; Zh:har and killing. 7. Nafl.
The fast of Ramadan and specified vow and Nafl can be intended from the night but it is not a condition that it is made at night. lf no intention was made until the morning then it is valid until before half the day.*
Fasts of Qada of Ramadan; general vow; Kaffarah and Qada of nullified Nafl are not valid except with an intention from the night.

*It is necessary that there be an intention for most of the day. The half is from dawn until bright morning, no + Zawal which is later. The intention must therefore be made before that so that most of the day is covered.

~ al-Quduri ~