Question: As it relates to fasting the six days of Shawwal and the Day of Arafat does it carry the same ruling as the obligatory fast, meaning the person must have the intention to fast the night before? Or does it carry the ruling of the supererogatory fast, meaning the person can make his intention to fast during the middle of the day? Is the reward for intending to fast from the middle of the day the same the one who starts the morning with the intention to fast, and fasts throughout the day?

Shaykh Uthaymeen: Yes it is permissible to make the intention to fast the supererogatory fast during the middle of the day, with the condition that the person did not do something which would invalidate the fast before that. For example if the person ate after Fajr and then during the middle of the day he makes his intention to fast; we say it is not possible for his fast to be correct because he has eaten. But if he did not eat, or do anything which would invalidate the fast, then he intends to fast during the middle of the day, and it is a supererogatory fast, we say this is permissible.

This has been narrated in the Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ. He entered upon his family and requested some food. They said to him: “We don’t have anything”. He responded: “Then I am fasting”.

But the time is only from the time of the intention.

This is based upon the statement of the Prophet ﷺ “The deeds are only according to the intentions”. Consequently no reward shall be written for him, before he made his intention, rather the reward shall be written for him after his makes his intention. Therefore if the reward is based upon fasting the entire day, then he did not fast the entire day, rather he only fasted part of the day based upon his intention.

Based upon this; if someone wakes up after Fajr, and he does not eat or drink anything, and at midday he makes his intention to fast a day from the six days of Shawwal, and then after that he fasts five more days, then he has only fasted five and a half days. Or if he makes his intention to fast after a quarter of the day has gone by and then he fasts five more day, he has only fasted five and one quarter days. This is because the deeds are only based upon the intentions. And the Hadith states “Whoever fasts Ramadan and then follows it with six days of Shawwal…”. Therefore we say to this brother: “You did not obtain the reward for fasting the six days, because you did not fast six days. The same is said for the fasting on the day of Arafat.

As for the unrestricted supererogatory fast, then it is correct and the person will only be reward from the time of his intention.

Taken from Shaykh al-‘Uthaymeen’s Majmoo’ Fatawa

Translated by Rasheed ibn Estes Barbee

Source: http://mtws.posthaven.com/the-intention-to-fast-six-days-of-shawwal-must-begin-before-fajr