I know it’s probably late in the month to be asking 
but i just have some questions.
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When are we supposed to make our niyyat to fast? The night before, at sehri time, etc? And what happens if we break that niyyat because y our period begins the nxt day? Or if we’re in a state of being unsure as to wehther we can fast the nxt day or not?
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Ok when you are at a place (like work or in class) where u can not hear the azaan, when do u break your fast? I ask because the time-table that I have put up in the house says, for example, that iftar is at 6:10. However, the maghrib azaan on PTV will not come on until 6:15 or so. I know that in that case you go by the azaan, but what abt when i’m in class? What shall i go by theN? In that specific case, does it really matter if you open ur fast one or two minutes before or after? 
Re: Questions about Ramadan..
- at the start of month for whole month
at sunset for next day
at the time of sehri, all valid
Niyat = intention, as long as you do it before doing something it is valid. And you can very well do in your heart , better say it in words, in your language or arabic
For example doing niyat for prayer (Salah) is farz. If you forget it then your Salah would merely be an exercise.
Breaking niyat does not constitute any sin. Although you get sawab for good niyat.
- Better wait for 2,3 minutes if you are not sure :) Ptv Azan goes for big cities only. So stick to your local Azan or Iftar timings.
Btw, if you do iftari with Ptv Azan then you must be living in Pakistan, and in pakistan all the classes are dismissed befrore iftari or else they get break as most people are fasting, and you hear azan everywhere so there should not be an issue of timing ambiguity at all ! :)
Re: Questions about Ramadan..
now thats ambigous…
what does niyyat mean??? it means intention…
if someone does not intend to pray, why wud he/her go thru the process of prayers???
and how can someone forget to intend???
Re: Questions about Ramadan..
Your niyaah of fasting should be made in your heart when ever you decide to fast. If you are in the age of fasting being compulsory then the intention must be there to fast all the fasts as soon as you find out the new moon as been sighted.
Starting FAST:
Now, scholars differ on this matter to be quite clear. Near some the intention must be made the night before and hence in Hanafi it is the same and that is why someone came up with the dua (not from hadeeth) “wa bis saumin ghadin… (to the end).” which means “and for the fast of tomorrow do I make intention..” this is not a dua from sunnah rather someone prescribed it and is now pretty much dominant.
Also, according to other scholars, the intention must always be there for those adults male/female believers from the very beginning and at best should be there when the new day (dawn) comes - mostly it will be in the heart - as a person will hardly wake up early and eat sehri if they don’t intend to fast. Now if a person is sick and in doubt then they must make their intention before dhuhr time if let say they were not up for Sehri due to feeling sick..
ENDING FAST:
For ending the hadeeth of Prophet SAW states that a person is not at sin or looses their fast if they make a mistake and end up breaking the fast a few minutes early. {THERE IS A LOT MORE DETAIL TOTHIS IF YOU CARE PM ME AND I WILL PM YOU BACK-- . Also, the Adhan on TV should not be your guide to breaking rather the ADHAN from the masjid::::::: keep in mind most Moadhin in the masjid already broke their fast before calling adhan…They normally eat a date or a sip of water first.. have seen this many times when breaking fast in the masjid.. —so if you have a good calendar and just break with it – InshALLAH All is well - MAy Allah accept the fast (ameen)
Wallahu Alam.
Re: Questions about Ramadan..
Breaking niyat does not constitute any sin. Although you get sawab for good niyat.
- Better wait for 2,3 minutes if you are not sure :) Ptv Azan goes for big cities only. So stick to your local Azan or Iftar timings.
Btw, if you do iftari with Ptv Azan then you must be living in Pakistan, and in pakistan all the classes are dismissed befrore iftari or else they get break as most people are fasting, and you hear azan everywhere so there should not be an issue of timing ambiguity at all ! :)
Well, breaking a fast for no reason is a sin isnt it?
Also, the azaan on PTV is for NYC.
Re: Questions about Ramadan..
I go with the version that states neeyah should be made the night before.
Re: Questions about Ramadan..
what does niyyat mean???? it means intention....
if someone does not intend to pray, why wud he/her go thru the process of prayers????
and how can someone forget to intend????
It is quite possible
sometimes one can be lost in thoughts while praying you start and forget to make niyat ( specially with nafal or Kaza) whether 2 rakat or 4 rakat or other specification and you realize after saying takbir-e-tehreema then there is no use to continue. One should start it all over again and make specificnic niyat.
The case is same with other obligations ...
for example you have to pay Rs. 1000 as zakat, as it is due on you. and some poor guy asks you for help and out of generosity you pay Rs 5000 to him, but do not intend to pay zakat. Then all this ammount will be considered Sadqa (charity) and the Rs 1000 zakat will still be due on you. If you had intended to pay Zakat then it would have been payed. simple :)
Sara516- Read the first post again. She is talking about breaking niyat not fast(roza). It means that she intended to fast but did not actaully fast due to 'certain reasons'.