Question:
Is it permissible to intend on the first day of Ramadan to fast in the month of Ramadan (by verbally) or do I need to intend everyday before Fajr prayer or I should not do that?
Fatwa:
All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger, may Allah exalt his mention as well as that of his family and all his companions.
When a person wants to fast in Ramadan, he should renew an independent intention daily because the fasting of every day is an independent form of worship which requires an intention. This is the opinion of the majority of scholars: (Hanafi, Hanbali and Shaafi'ee). But
Imaam Maalik believe that one intention is sufficient for the whole of Ramadan and any fasting similar to it, such as expiation for vow, …etc. This is so because Ramadan is only one act of worship that requires only one intention like prayer and Hajj. But any fasting that is not done continuously, (i.e. done day after day without breaks) as required needs a separate intention for each day.
But the first opinion is the most sound. So, for the fasting to be valid, one has to intend it at the night that precedes the day to be fasted regardless of whether the fasting is continuous like Ramadan, or on a daily basis like making up missed days.
As for uttering the intention, there are three opinions about it but the predominant opinion is that it is disliked to utter the intention according to the Maaliki and Hanbali schools.
Ibn Taymiyyah said: 'This opinion is more correct. In fact, uttering the intention is wrong not only in the way of reasoning but also in religion. In religion because it is an innovation and in reasoning because this is like the person who wants to eat something and says: "I intend to put my hand in the receptacle until I take a morsel, put it in my mouth, chew it then swallow it to get satisfied. This is stupidity and ignorance. This is because the intention follows the knowledge. So, when the person knows what he is doing, this means that he has intended it"'.
Allah Knows best.
Fatwa answered by: The Fatwa Center at Islamweb