He replied:

A traveler may refrain from fasting by agreement of the Muslims, even if he experiences no hardship, and refraining from fasting is better for him. If he fasts, however, this is permissible according to most scholars. Some hold that his fast does not discharge his obligation.

He was asked:

“An imam of a mosque congregation who follows the Hanafī school told his congregation that he has a book stating that a person receives no reward for fasting in Ramadan unless he forms the intention to fast before or after the ‘Ishā’ prayer, or at the time of the predawn meal. Is this correct or not?”

He replied:

Praise be to Allah. Every Muslim who believes that fasting is obligatory for him and wishes to fast the month of Ramadan must have the intention to do so. If he knows that tomorrow is part of Ramadan, he necessarily intends to fast, for the intention resides in the heart, and everyone who knows what he wishes to do necessarily intends it. Expressing the intention verbally is not obligatory, by agreement of the Muslims. Muslims generally fast with this intention, and their fasting is valid without any disagreement among the scholars. Allah knows best.