الصَّوْمُ ضَرْبَانِ: وَاجِبٌ، وَنَفْلٌ.
Translation: Fasting is of two kinds: obligatory and voluntary.
Wajib here denotes fasting owed as a religious duty, whereas nafl is voluntary at the point it is undertaken. This division underlies the intention rules that follow.
The two labels do not mean that every fast may be commenced in the same way. A missed Ramadan fast or expiatory fast is not treated like a fresh voluntary fast.
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Kitab al-Sawm: Categories of Fasting and Rules of Intention
الصَّوْمُ ضَرْبَانِ: وَاجِبٌ، وَنَفْلٌ.
Translation: Fasting is of two kinds: obligatory and voluntary.
Wajib here denotes fasting owed as a religious duty, whereas nafl is voluntary at the point it is undertaken. This division underlies the intention rules that follow.
The two labels do not mean that every fast may be commenced in the same way. A missed Ramadan fast or expiatory fast is not treated like a fresh voluntary fast.