What is the ruling on forming the intention a week in advance to fast on the Day of Arafah, both as a make-up fast and in fulfilment of the recommendation to fast on that day? I had intended to fast the Day of Arafa to make up a missed fast-day a week prior to the actual day. However, on the eve of the fast, I forgot the intention I had made a week earlier and instead formed the intention to fast on the Day of Arafa as a voluntary fast of that day. Does this fast fulfill the obligation of making up a missed fast?

In Islamic law, intention is required for all acts of worship. ‘Umar Ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him), narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “Actions are judged by intentions, and each person will have what they intended. So, whoever emigrated for Allah and His Messenger, his emigration is for Allah and His Messenger; and whoever emigrated for worldly gain or to marry a woman, his emigration is for that which he emigrated for”
(Bukhari and Muslim).

In the context of fasting, intention means having a firm resolve in the heart to abstain from anything that invalidates the fast from dawn to sunset. For both obligatory and non-obligatory fasts, it is required to specify the fast and to form the intention at any time from sunset of the previous day until dawn.

This is what is meant by forming the intention, as established in the narration of Hafsa (may Allah be pleased with her), the Mother of the Believers, who narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “Whoever does not form the intention to fast before dawn, there is no fast for him”
(recorded by Abu Dawud, al-Nasa`i, and at-Tirmidhi in their Sunan collections). Accordingly, the time for forming the intention begins at sunset on the eve of the fast. It is not valid to set the intention to fast a specific day before that time, as such an intention is premature and does not take effect. [1]

 

The ruling

Your fast on the day of Arafa does not fulfill the obligation of making up a missed fast based on your prior intention. Instead, it counts as a voluntary fast, consistent with the intention formed on the eve of the fast.

And Allah Almighty knows best.