If the intention of fasting for the fast of Ramadhân is made at night, the fast will be valid. The intention was not made at night and even in the morning one decided not to fast on that day. The day progressed considerably and only thereafter the person realized that it is not good to leave out a fard duty and therefore made the intention of fasting - even then his fast will be valid. But if he has already consumed some food in the morning, he cannot make the intention of fasting.

If a person has not consumed any food or drink, then for the fasts of Ramadhân he can make the intention of fasting until one hour before mid-day.

For the fasts of Ramadhân, the following intention is sufficient: "I am fasting today". Alternatively, at night one could say: "Tomorrow I will fast". By making this intention, the fasts of Ramadhân will be valid. When making the intention, a person did not specify as to whether it is a fast of Ramadhân or a fard fast. Even then the fast will be valid.

4. In the month of Ramadhân, a person made the following intention: "Tomorrow I will keep a nafl fast and I will not keep the fast of Ramadhân. I will make qada of this Ramadhân fast at some other time." Even then, the Ramadhân fast will be considered and not the nafl fast.

5. A person had missed a few fasts of the previous Ramadhân. The whole year passed without his making qada of these missed fasts as yet. When the next Ramadhân commenced, he made the intention of making qada of those missed fasts. Even then, the fasts of this Ramadhân will be considered and the qada fasts will not be valid. He will have to keep those qada fasts after Ramadhân.

6. A person had taken a vow that if a certain work of his is fulfilled, he will keep one or two fasts for the pleasure of Allâh. When the month of Ramadhân commenced, he made the intention of keeping those fasts which he had vowed to keep and not the fast of Ramadhân. Even then, the fast of Ramadhân will be considered and not that of the vowed fast. The vowed fast will have to be kept after Ramadhân.

7. In short, if any other intention is made in the month of Ramadhân, the fast of Ramadhân will be considered. All other fasts will not be valid.

8. If the moon of Ramadhân is sighted on the 29th of Sha'bân, commence fasting the following morning. However, if it is not sighted or cannot be sighted because of clouds, do not fast the next morning as long as there is a doubt as to whether Ramadhân has commenced or not. Instead, complete the 30 days of Sha'bân and thereafter commence the fasts of Ramadhân.

9. Because of clouds, the moon was not sighted on the 29th of Sha'bân. Do not even keep a nafl fast the following day. However, if a person is in the habit of fasting on Mondays and Thursdays or any other specific day, and coincidentally that day falls on the 29th, then in such a case it will be preferable to keep this fast. Thereafter, if he receives the news of the sighting of the moon on the 29th, the fast of Ramadhân will be fulfilled with that very nafl fast. He does not have to make qada of it.

10. Because of clouds, the moon was not sighted on the 29th of Sha'bân. Do not eat or drink anything the following day until an hour before mid-day. If news of the sighting of the moon is received from somewhere, make the intention of fasting. If no news is received, one can commence eating and drinking.

11. The moon was not sighted on the 29th. Do not think that since tomorrow is not Ramadhân, let me keep my qada fast of the previous year, or let me keep the fast that I had vowed to keep. On such a day, it is also makrûh to keep the qada, kaffarah, and nazr (vowed) fasts. No fast should be kept on that day. If a person keeps the qada or nazr fast, and later he receives the news of the sighting of the moon; even then the fast of Ramadhân will be considered. He will have to repeat the qada or nazr fast. If he does not receive any news of the sighting of the moon, the fast will be valid for whatever reason he had kept it (i.e. whether it be a qada or a nazr fast).

Heavenly Ornaments - Kitaab al-Ramadan by Shaykh Ashraf Ali Thanvi.

Dua scan taken from the book of prayers.