🔺Note: initiating the Niyyah partway through the day is allowed ONLY IF a person has not already invalidated their fast by eating, drinking, engaging in sexual

🔺Note: if someone initiates the intention partway through the day, they will only be rewarded for the portion that was accompanied by the Niyyah, i.e. the point the Niyyah was formed onwards, because the Prophet ﷺ said: “Everyone will be rewarded according to what he intended.” So how can one be rewarded for something they did not intend!? 💡Benefit: There are two types of voluntary fasts: (1) confined voluntary fasts (Muqayyad); days of fasting that have a specific virtue proven in the Sunnah, such as the 6 days of Shawwāl, ’Arafah, ’Āshūrah, etc. (2) unconfined voluntary fasts (Muṭlaq); days of fasting that have no specific virtue, such as Wednesday. With respect to confined voluntary fasts (Muqayyad), in order for a person to attain the virtues for fasting these days, they should form the intention from the night before - not partway through the day. Q6. When forming the Niyyah does one have to specify the type of fast? With regards to obligatory fasts, majority of scholars have said that it's necessary to specify what type of obligatory fast it is; whether that is Ramaḍhān, Kaffārah (expiatory fast) or Nadhr (fasting in fulfilment of a vow). In the case of voluntary fasting, one does not have to specify unless it is a confined voluntary fast (Muqayyad), such as ‘Arafah, ‘Āshūrā’ etc. They have to specify if they want to attain the specific virtues of fasting these days. Q7: How is the Niyyah actually formed? This is an important question, especially for those who suffer from Wiswās. Sheikhul Islām Ibn Taymiyyah raḥimahullāh said “Once a person knows what he is doing, he has instinctively made the intention to do that act, because it's not possible for anyone to know what he wants to do, without having already formed an intention.” [Majmū’ Fatāwa (22/217)] Similarly, Ibnul Qayyim raḥimahullāh said: “Anyone with a firm resolve to carry out an act has instinctively made the intention for that particular act; it's not possible to separate between the two... So whoever sits in order to perform wuḍhū' has made the intention for wuḍhū'. In the same way, the one who stands to pray has made the intention for prayer...Intentions are an inseparably part of all acts that a person seeks to carry out...if a person wanted to carry out an act without any intention, he would not be able to do so.” [Ighāthat Al-lahfān (1/157)] Q8: How does one form the Niyyah for Ramaḍhān? Sheikhul Islām Ibn Taymiyyah raḥimahullāh said: “Anyone who knows that tomorrow is one of the days of Ramaḍhān and wants to fast, then he has already formed his intention.” [Majmū’ Al-Fatāwa (25/215)] 🔺Note: The scholars differed with regards to making an individual Niyyah for each day of Ramaḍhān; those who consider the days of Ramaḍhān to be distinct acts of worship say it's necessary to make a separate Niyyah for each day, whereas those who consider the whole month to be one act of worship say it's sufficient to make one continued intention at the start of Ramaḍhān for the whole month; this way, one does not need to repeat the intention every night of Ramaḍhān as long as this intention remains uninterrupted. However, the safest option is to make a separate intention for each day. 🔺Final note: The Niyyah must remain intact throughout the fast. If the Niyyah is invalidated the act of worship is also invalidated; for example, if someone who is fasting makes a firm, determined decision to break their fast, their fast is automatically broken - even if they don't eat or drink.