Question:
The Prophet ﷺ said:
"There is no fast for the one who does not intend it from the night."What does this hadith mean, and what is the correct way to make the intention (Niyyah) for fasting?
Answer:
The intention (Niyyah) for fasting means to have a firm resolve in the heart to fast. It is obligatory upon every Muslim who knows that Allah has made fasting in Ramadan obligatory.The following matters are sufficient to fulfill the intention for fasting:
① A person knows and acknowledges that fasting in Ramadan is obligatory.
② A person internally decides that if there is no excuse, he will fast the next day.
③ A person eats Suhoor with the intention of fasting.
It is not necessary to verbalize the intention for fasting or any other act of worship because the place of Niyyah is the heart.
Shaykh Ibn Jibreen (رحمه الله)