Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Can Sunnah fasts be kept even if one has not yet made up any missed fasts? For example, if I’ve not yet made up missed fasts of Ramadhan but would like to fast the fast of Yawmul Arafa, can I do that? Or must I make up my missed fasts first? Can the niyyah be combined?
Walaikum assalam wa rahmatullah,
I pray this finds you in the best of health and spirits.
It is more important to make up one’s missed fasts, as they are a debt one owes Allah–and the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “A debt to Allah is most deserving of being repaid.” [Bukhari and Muslim] [ Ibn Abidin, Radd al-Muhtar ]
At the same time, it is praiseworthy to combine intentions: you can intend to make up your missed fasts and make a secondary intention of any sunna fast–such as the Day of Arafa, or fasting Mondays and Fridays, or fasting the White Days (13, 14, and 15 of the Islamic month), and so on.
Please search SunniPath Answers (http://qa.sunnipath.com) for related answers. Search for: combining intentions.
And Allah alone gives success.
Faraz Rabbani