Question:
If someone missed two fasts in Ramadan, can they merge them with Shawwal fasts and make one intention for both?
Answer:
That is not permissible. Why? If you perform Dhuhr prayer, can you merge Asr prayer within it? No. Each act of worship is separate. Shawwal fasting is separate. Ramadan missed fasting is separate. There is no Islamic evidence allowing combining them with one intention.
If someone says they completed Shawwal fasting and it will also count as missed Ramadan fasting, there is no evidence for that. Each act must be performed individually as instructed by Allahﷻ and His Messengerﷺ. If you claim two acts can be combined, you must show evidence.
Otherwise, one might think they can combine missed fasts with Arafah fasting, Ashura fasting, or other voluntary fasts to gain double reward. That is incorrect. Each fast has its own ruling. If you fast three days every month but intend them as missed Ramadan fasts, then you have not fulfilled the Sunnah of monthly fasting.
Aisha (Mother of Believers), the wife of the Prophetﷺ, used to miss some Ramadan fasts due to menstruation. She said that she would not make up for those missed fasts until the month of Sha’ban. She did not make them up during Shawwal, Dhul-Qa’dah, Dhul-Hijjah, Muharram, Safar, or other months, but only in Sha’ban before the next Ramadan.
This shows that during those months she performed voluntary fasts but did not merge them with missed Ramadan fasts. If one wants, they can perform voluntary fasts first and make up missed fasts later. Or they can prioritize missed fasts first because they are obligatory. Both approaches are acceptable.
Aisha (Mother of Believers)’s practice occurred during the lifetime of the Prophetﷺ and with his approval. She delayed the missed Ramadan fastings until Sha’ban. This narration is recorded in Sahih Bukhari, Hadith number 1950.
Therefore, one may fast Shawwal first and make up missed fasts later, or complete missed fasts first. However, if one fasts missed Ramadan fastings during Shawwal, they will fulfill the obligation but will not receive the specific reward of six Shawwal fasts.
There is no evidence supporting combining both with one intention.