is obligatory, and that it must also be specified. Thus, one intends the fast of Ramadan, or an expiatory fast, or a vowed fast, or the like.
His statement, “from the night, for the fast of every obligatory day,” means: before dawn rises. This includes even a minute before dawn. This is required because fasting the entire day cannot be fulfilled except in this way. Whoever forms the intention after dawn has risen cannot be said to have fasted a day. Therefore, for the fast of every obligatory day, one must intend it before dawn. This is what the author means by “from the night.” It is not necessary to form the intention before going to sleep; rather, what is required is that dawn must not rise before one has formed the intention, so that the intention encompasses all the parts of the day. Since one has been obligated to fast a day, one must intend it from before dawn until sunset.
The evidence for this is the hadith of Aishah, traced back to the Prophet: “Whoever does not form the intention to fast before dawn rises has no fast.” (1) What is meant is an obligatory fast; as for a voluntary fast, that will follow.
His statement, “for the fast of every obligatory day,” means that one must form the intention separately for each day. Thus, in Ramadan, for example, one needs thirty intentions.
Accordingly, if a man were to sleep after Asr during Ramadan and not awaken the following day until after dawn had risen, his fast for that day would not be valid, because he had not intended to fast it during its preceding night.