Time of intention for obligatory fasting

The research addresses the time of intention for obligatory fasting, aiming to clarify when the intention for obligatory fasting should be made. It discusses what scholars agree on regarding the time of intention, what they differ on, the reasons for the disagreement, and the jurists’ debate on this issue, presenting their scientific and legal discussions. The study follows an inductive, descriptive, analytical, and comparative method. It includes introductory sections defining intention, its place and function, as well as defining fasting and its types. It then delves into the core of the research, which is the time of intention for obligatory fasting, starting with clarifying the point of contention and what the jurists agree upon, such as the preference for night as the time for intention and that it is the obligatory time for the intention of vows and expiations. It then addresses the points of disagreement concerning the intention for Ramadan fasting, summarizing the opinions and then presenting the evidence for each opinion, followed by a discussion of the evidence and a weighing of the arguments. Finally, it concludes by stating the reasons for the disagreement, arriving at the conclusion that it is preferable for the intention of obligatory fasting to be made at night and that it is not valid during the day. The references to fasting during the day in some hadiths and narratives indicate that the intention begins with the awareness of the time of obligatory fasting. It distinguishes between the time of intention in principle and the time of intention upon awareness, and it illustrates the excellent reasoning of the jurists based on foundational principles and rules, extracting subtle nuances of evidence and arguments on the matter, their scientific rigor in refuting misleading claims as evidence, and their attention to the nuances of this issue in relation to other types of worship.