Dear respected Shaykh, assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh. What we know is that a voluntary fast does not need the formation of the intention for it during the preceding night and a person can make the intention for it at any time. However, a student of Islamic knowledge gave a fatwa whose wording is: “It is not allowed to form the intention for a voluntary fast after the sun passes the meridian. It is not allowed to fast after this time. However, it is allowed for a person to make the intention for a voluntary fast before the sun passes the meridian.” He said that he quoted this fatwa from the book Zaad al-Ma’aad by ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him). We request clarification from you because this issue confused people. مسألة في نية صيام التطوع

Praise be to Allah, and may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah, his family and his companions. Wa alaikum assalam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh. As to what follows: In response to your question, we say: The scholars (may Allah have mercy on them)  have differed on whether a voluntary fast is valid if the intention for it is made at the beginning of the day or at the end of the day. Some scholars said that it is permissible to make the intention  for a voluntary fast during the day before the sun passes the meridian. This is the opinion of the Hambalites. The correct opinion is the first one because there is no proof which necessitates differentiation of the ruling of fasting for an intention that is made after the sun passes the meridian and an intention that is made after the sun passes the meridian. And Allah knows best. Dr. Khalid al-Mosleh   11/11/1424