The fast of Ramadan, according to the Qur'an, sunnah and
consensus, is obligatory.
The evidence from the Qur'an consists of the following two
verses: "O you who believe, fasting is prescribed for you
as it was prescribed for the people before you in order for
you to gain God consciousness, and, "...The month of
Ramadan, during which the Qur'an was revealed, a guidance for
mankind, and clear proofs of the guidance and the criterion;
and whoever of you is resident, let him fast the month"
[al-Baqarah 185].
From the sunnah we have the following statements of the
Prophet: "Islam is built upon [the following] five
pillars: testifying that there is no God except Allah and that
Muhammad is His Messenger, the establishment of the prayer,
the giving of zakah, the fast of Ramadan and the pilgrimage to
Makkah." Talhah ibn 'Ubaidullah reported that a man came
to the Prophet and said: "O Messenger of Allah, tell me
what Allah requires of me as regards fasting." He
answered, "The month of Ramadan." The man asked:
"Is there any other [fast]?" The Prophet answered:
"No, unless you do so voluntarily."
The whole Muslim nation agrees that the fast of Ramadan is
obligatory. It is one of the pillars of Islam, and if one
disputes this, he cannot be called a Muslim.l
Abu Hurairah reported that the Prophet, upon whom be peace,
said: "The blessed month has come to you. Allah has made
fasting during it obligatory upon you. During it, the gates to
Paradise are opened and the gates to hellfire are locked, and
the devils are chained. There is a night [during this month]
which is better than a thousand months. Whoever is deprived of
its good is really deprived [of something great]." This
is related by Ahmad, an-Nasa'i, and al-Baihaqi.
'Arfajah testifies to this: "We were with 'Utbah ibn
Farqad while he was discussing Ramadan. A companion of the
Prophet entered upon the scene. When 'Utbah saw him, he became
shy and stopped talking. The man [the companion] spoke about
Ramadan, saying: 'I heard the Messenger of Allah say during
Ramadan: "The gates of Hell are closed, the gates of
Paradise are opened, and the devils are in chains. An angel
calls out: 'O you who intend to do good deeds, have glad
tidings. O you who intend to do evil, refrain, until Ramadan
is completed.'"
Muslim relates that Abu Hurairah reported the Prophet
saying: "The time between the five prayers, two
consecutive Friday prayers, and two consecutive Ramadans are
expiations for all that has happened during that period,
provided that one has avoided the grave sins."
Abu Sa'id al-Khudri reported that the Prophet, upon whom be
peace, said: "Whoever fasts the month of Ramadan, obeying
all of its limitations and guarding himself against what is
forbidden, has in fact atoned for any sins he committed before
it." Ahmad and alBaihaqi related this hadith with a good
chain.
Abu Hurairah reported that the Prophet, upon whom be peace,
said: "Whoever fasts the month of Ramadan with faith and
seeks Allah's pleasure and reward will have his previous sins
forgiven." This hadith is related by Ahmad and the
compilers of the sunan.
Ibn 'Abbas reported that the Prophet said: "The bare
essence of Islam and the basics of the religion are three
[acts], upon which Islam has been established. Whoever leaves
one of them becomes an unbeliever and his blood may legally be
spilled. [The acts are:] Testifying that there is no God
except Allah, the obligatory prayers, and the fast of
Ramadan." This hadith is related by Abu Ya'la and ad-Dailimi.
Azh-Zhahabi called it sahih.
Abu Hurairah reported that the Messenger of Allah, upon
whom be peace, said: "Whoever breaks his fast during
Ramadan without having one of the excuses that Allah would
excuse him for, then even a perpetual fast, if he were to fast
it, would not make up for that day." This is related by
Abu Dawud, Ibn Majah, and atTirmizhi.
Al-Bukhari records from Abu Hurairah in marfu' form:
"Whoever breaks the fast of Ramadan without having a
legitimate excuse or being ill, he cannot make up for that
day, even if he were to undertake a perpetual fast." Ibn
Mas'ud has also reported this.
Azh-Zhahabi says: "According to the established
believers, anyone who leaves the fast of Ramadan without being
sick is worse than a fomicator or an alcoholic. In fact, they
doubt his Islam and they suspect that he might be a zandiqah
and one of those who destroy [Islam].
This event is confirmed by sighting the new moon, even if
it is seen by only one just person, or by the passage of
thirty days in the immediately preceding month of Sha'ban.
Ibn 'Umar said: "The people were looking for the new
moon and when I reported to the Messenger of Allah that I had
seen it, he fasted and ordered the people to fast." This
is related by Abu Dawud, al-Hakim, and Ibn Hibban, who
declared it to be sahih.
Abu Hurairah reported that the Prophet instructed:
"Fast after you have seen it [the new crescent] and end
the fast [at the end of the month] when you see it. If it is
hidden from you, then wait until the thirty days of Sha'ban
have passed." This is related by al-Bukhari and Muslim.
Commenting on these reports, at-Tirmizhi states: "Most
knowledgeable people act in accordance with these reports.
They say that it is correct to accept the evidence of one
person to determine the beginning of the fast. This is the
opinion of Ibn alMubarak, ash-Shaf'i, and Ahmad. An-Nawawi
says that it is the soundest opinion. Conceming the new moon
of Shawwal [which signifies the end of the fast], it is
confimmed by completing thirty days of Ramadan, and most
jurists state that the new moon must have been reported by at
least two just witnesses. However, Abu Thaur does not
distinguish between the new moon of Shawwal and the new moon
of Ramadan. In both cases, he accepts the evidence of only one
just witness."
Ibn-Rushd comments that: "The opionion of Abu Bakr ibn
alMunzhir, which is also that of Abu Thaur and, I suspect,
that of the Zhahiri school of thought, is supported by the
following argument given by Abu Bakr al-Munzhiri: there is
complete agreement that breaking the fast is obligatory, that
abstaining from eating is based on one person's report, and
that the situation must be like that for the beginning of the
month and for the ending of the month, as both of them are
simply the signs that differentiate the time of fasting from
the time of not fasting."
Ash-Shaukani observes: "If there is nothing authentic
recorded that states that one may only accept two witnesses
for the end of the month, then it is apparent, by analogy,
that one witness is sufficient, as it is sufficient for the
beginning of the month. Furthemmore, worship based on the
acceptance of one report points to the fact that such singular
reports are accepted in every matter unless there is some
evidence that specifies the peculiarity of specific cases,
such as the number of witnesses conceming matters of wealth,
and so on. Apparently this is the opinion of Abu Thaur."
According to the majority of scholars, it does not matter
if the new moon has been sighted in a different location. In
other words, after the new moon is seen anywhere in the world,
it becomes obligatory for all Muslims to begin fasting, as the
Prophet said: "Fast due to its sighting and break the
fast due to its sighting." This hadith is a general
address directed to the whole Muslim world - that is, "if
any one of you sees the moon in any place, then that will be a
sighting for all of the people."
According to 'Ikrimah, al-Qasim ibn Muhammad, Salim, Ishaq,
the correct opinion among the Hanafiyyah, and the chosen
opinion among the Shaf'iyyah, every "country" (or
territory) is to take into consideration its own sighting and
not necessarily to follow the sighting of others. This is
based on what Kuraib said: "While I was in ash-Sham, the
new moon of Ramadan appeared on Thursday night. I retumed to
Madinah at the end of the month. There, Ibn 'Abbas asked me:
'When did you people see the new moon?' I said: 'We saw it on
Thursday night.' He said: 'Did you see it yourself?' I said:
'Yes, the people saw it, and they and Mu'awiyyyah fasted.' He
said: 'But we saw it on Friday night. We will not stop fasting
until we complete thirty days or until we see the new moon.' I
said: 'Isn't Mu'awiyyah's sighting and fasting sufficient for
you?' He said: 'No . . . This is the order of the Messenger of
Allah.' " This is related by Ahmad, Muslim, and at-Tirmizhi.
About the hadith, at-Timmizhi says: "It is hassan
sahih ghareeb. Scholars act in accordance with this hadith.
Every land has its sighting." In Fath al-'Alam Sharh
Bulugh al-Maram, it is stated: The [opinion] closest [to the
truth] is that each land follows its sighting, as well as the
areas that are connected to it."
The scholars of fiqh agree that if only one person sees the
new moon, he is to fast. 'Ata differs and says that he is not
to fast until someone else also sights the new moon with him.
The correct position is that he is to break the fast, as ash-Shaf'i
and Abu Thaur have ruled. The Prophet has based the fast and
its breaking on the sighting of the moon. One's own sight is
enough for him and there is no need for another person's
sighting.
This point is based on the Qur'anic verse: "Eat and
drink until the white thread becomes distinct to you from the
black thread of the dawn. Then strictly observe the fast until
nightfall."
This is also based on the following hadith: "When the
verse 'Eat and drink until the white thread becomes distinct
to you...' was revealed, I took a black thread and a white
thread and placed them underneath my pillow. During the night
I looked at them to see if I could distinguish between them.
In the morning I went to the Messenger of Allah and mentioned
that to him and he said: 'It is the black of the night and the
white of the day.'"
Allah instructs in the Qur'an: "And they are ordained
nothing else than to serve Allah, keeping religion pure for
Him." The Prophet, upon whom be peace, said:
"Actions are judged according to the intention behind
them, and for everyone is what he intended."
The intention must be made before fajr and during every
night of Ramadan. This point is based on the hadith of Hafsah
which reported that the Prophet said: "Whoever does not
determine to fast before fajr will have no fast" (that
is, it won't be accepted). This is related by Ahmad, an-Nasa'i,
at-Tirmizhi, Abu Dawud, and Ibn Majah. Ibn Khuzaimah and Ibn
Hibban have classified it as sahih.
The intention is valid during any part of the night. It
need not be spoken, as it is in reality an act of the heart
which does not involve the tongue. It will be fulfilled by
one's intention to fast out of obedience to Allah and for
seeking His pleasure.
If one eats one's pre-dawn meal (sahoor) with the intention
of fasting and to get closer to Allah by such abstinence, then
one has performed the intention. If one determines that one
will fast on the next day solely for the sake of Allah, then
one has performed the intention even if a pre-dawn meal was
not consumed.
According to many of the jurists, the intention for a
voluntary fast may be made at any time before any food is
consumed. This opinion is based on 'Aishah's hadith: "The
Prophet came to us one day and said: 'Do you have any [food]?'
We said, 'No.' He said: 'Therefore, I am fasting." This
is related by Muslim and Abu Dawud.
The Hanafiyyah and Shaf'iyyah stipulate that the intention
must be made before noon (for voluntary fasts). The apparent
opinion of Ibn Mas'ud and Ahmad is that the intention may be
made before or after noon.
All scholars agree that fasting is obligatory upon every
sane, adult, healthy Muslim male who is not traveling at that
time. As for a woman, she must not be menstruating or having
post-childbirth bleeding. People who are insane, minors, and
those who are traveling, menstruating, or going through
post-childbirth bleeding, and the elderly and breast-feeding
or pregnant women do not need to observe the fast.
For some, the fast is not obligatory at all, for example,
the insane. In the case of young people, their parents or
guardians should order them to fast. Some are to break the
fast and make up the missed days of fasting at a later date,
while others are to break the fast and pay a
"ransom" (in which case, they are not obliged to
make up the days they missed). We shall discuss each group in
more detail.
Fasting is not obligatory for the insane because of their
inability to understand what they are doing. 'Ali reported
that the Prophet, upon whom be peace, said: "The pen is
raised for three groups [of people]--that is, they will not be
responsible for their actions: the insane until they become
sane, those who are sleeping until they awaken, and the young
until they reach puberty." This is related by Ahmad, Abu
Dawud, and at-Tirmizhi.
Though the young are not required to fast, it is proper for
their guardians to encourage them to fast so they will become
accustomed to it at an early age. They may fast as long as
they are able to and then may break it. ArRabi'a bint
Mu'awiyyah reported: "The Messenger of Allah sent a man,
on the morning of the day of 'Ashurah, to the residences of
the Ansar, saying: 'Whoever has spent the morning fasting is
to complete his fast. Whoever has not spent this morning
fasting should fast for the remainder of the day.' We fasted
after that announcement, as did our young children. We would
go to the mosque and make toys stuffed with cotton for them to
play with. If one of them started crying due to hunger, we
would give them a toy to play with until it was time to
eat." This is related by al-Bukhari and Muslim.
Elderly men and women are permitted to break their fasts,
as are the chronically ill, and those who have to perform
difficult jobs under harsh circumstances and who could not
find any other way to support themselves. All of these people
are allowed to break their fast, because such a practice would
place too much hardship on them during any part of the year.
They are obliged to feed one poor person [miskin] a day (for
every day of fasting that they do not perform). The scholars
differ over how much food is to be supplied, for example, a sa',
half a sa', or a madd. There is nothing in the sunnah that
mentions exactly how much is to be given.
Ibn 'Abbas said: "An elderly man is permitted to break
his fast, but he must feed a poor person daily. If he does
this, he does not have to make up the days that he did not
fast. This is related by ad-Daraqutni and by al-Hakim, who
said it is sahih. Al-Bukhari recorded that 'Ata heard Ibn 'Abbas
recite the 'ayah: "And for those who can fast [but do
not], there is a "ransom': the feeding of a person in
need" [al-Baqarah 185]. Then Ibn 'Abbas continued:
"It has not been abrogated. [Its ruling applies] to
elderly men and women who are not able to fast. Instead, they
must feed one poor person on a daily basis."
The same is true for one who is chronically ill and as such
cannot fast, and for one who is forced to work under harsh
circumstances and as such cannot endure the additional burden
of fasting. Both groups must also feed one poor person daily.
Commenting on al-Baqarah's 'ayah, Sheikh Muhammad 'Abduh
says: "What is meant by those who can fast' [(but do not)
in the Qur'anic verse] is the weak elderly people, the
chronically ill, and so on, and similarly, those workers who
are working under severe conditions, such as coal miners. The
same applies to criminals who are sentenced to life
imprisonment with hard labor. They have to pay the 'ransom' if
they have the means to do so."
Pregnant and breast-feeding women, if they fear for
themselves or for the baby, can break the fast and pay the
"ransom." They do not have to make up the days
missed. Abu Dawud related from 'Ikrimah that Ibn 'Abbas said
concerning the 'ayah "And for those who can fast [but do
not],": "This is a concession for the elderly, as
they can fast. They are to break the fast and feed one poor
person a day. Pregnant or breast-feeding women, if they fear
for the child, can do likewise." This is related by al-Bazzar.
At the end of the report, there is the addition: "Ibn 'Abbas
used to say to his wives who were pregnant: 'You are in the
same situation as those who can fast [but do not]. You are to
pay the "ransom" and do not have to make up the days
later.' " Of its chain, ad-Daraqutni says it is sahih.
Nafi' reported that Ibn 'Umar was asked about a pregnant
woman who feared for her unborn baby. He replied: "She is
to break the fast and to feed one poor person a day one madd
of barley."
There is also a hadith that states: "Allah has
relieved the travelers of fasting and half of the prayer, and
the pregnant and the breast-feeding women of the
fast."According to the Hanafiyyah, Abu Ubaid, and Abu
Thaur, such women are only to make up the missed days of
fasting, and they are not supposed to feed one poor person a
day. According to Ahmad and ash-Shaf'i, if such women fear
only for the baby, they must pay the "ransom" and
make up the days later. If they fear only for themselves or
for themselves and the baby, then they are only to make up the
missed days at a later date.
It is allowed for those who are (not chronically) ill and
for travelers to break their fasts during Ramadan, but they
must make up the days they missed. Allah says in the Qur'an:
"And [for] him who is sick among you or on a journey,
[the same] number of other days."
Mu'azh said: "Verily, Allah made the fast obligatory
upon the Prophet by revealing: 'O you who believe, fasting is
prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before
you...' until the words, 'And for those who can fast [but do
not] there is a "ransom" payment...' Then, whoever
wished to do so would fast and whoever wished to do so would
feed a poor person, and that was sufficient for them. Then
Allah revealed another verse: 'The month of Ramadan in which
the Qur'an was revealed...' to the words: 'Whoever is resident
among you during this month is to fast.' [By this verse,] the
fast was established for those who were resident and healthy.
A concession was made for the sick and travelers, and the
feeding of the poor by the elderly who could not fast was
[left] confirmed." This is related by Ahmad, Abu Dawud,
and alBaihaqi with a sahih chain.
A sick person may break his fast which, if continued, would
only aggravate the illness or delay its cure.In al-Mughni it
is stated: "It is related from some of the early scholars
that any type of illness allows one to break the fast, even an
injury to the finger or a toothache. They based their opinion
on the following:
-1- the wording of the verse is general and applies to all
types of illness, and
-2- a traveler is allowed to break his fast even if he does
not need to and, therefore, the same must be the case for one
who is sick." This was also the opinion of al-Bukhari,
'Ata, and the Zhahiri school of thought.
One who is healthy but fears that he will become ill if he
fasts can break the fast, as can the person who is overcome by
hunger and/or thirst and fears that he may die because of it,
even if he is resident and healthy. He must make up the days
of fasting that he missed. The following two Qur'anic 'ayahs
support this point: "And do not kill yourselves, Lo!
Allah is ever Merciful to you," and "He has not laid
upon you in your religion any hardship."
If a sick person fasts and withstands the hardships of the
fast, his fast will be valid but disliked, for he did not
accept the concession Allah gave him, thereby causing himself
much hardship. Some of the companions would fast during the
Prophet's lifetime while others would not (that is, if they
were ill), thereby following the verdict of the Prophet.
Hamzah al-Aslami said: "O Messenger of Allah, I find
within me the strength to fast while traveling. Would there be
any blame upon me if I were to do so?" The Prophet, upon
whom be peace, answered: "It is a concession from Allah.
Whoever takes it has done well. Whoever likes to fast, there
is no blame upon him." This is related by Muslim.
Abu Sa'id al-Khudri reported: "We traveled with the
Messenger of Allah to Makkah while we were fasting. We stopped
at a place and the Messenger of Allah said: 'You are coming
close to your enemies. You will be stronger if you break the
fast.' That was a concession and some of us fasted and some of
us broke our fasts. Then we came to another place and the
Prophet said: 'In the morning you will face your enemy.
Breaking the fast will give you more strength.' So we broke
our fast, taking that as the best course of action. After
that, you could see some of us fasting with the Prophet while
traveling." This is related by Ahmad, Muslim, and Abu
Dawud.
In another report, Abu Sa'id al-Khudri said: "We
fought under the leadership of the Messenger of Allah during
Ramadan. Some of us fasted and some of us did not. The ones
who fasted did not find any fault with those who did not fast,
and those who did not fast found no fault with those who
fasted. They knew that if one had the strength to fast he
could do so and it was good, and that if one was weak, he was
allowed to break his fast, and that was good." This is
related by Ahmad and Muslim.
The jurists differ over what is preferred (that is, to fast
or not to fast while traveling). Abu Hanifah, ash-Shaf'i, and
Malik are of the opinion that if one has the ability to fast,
it is better for him to do so, and if one does not have the
ability to fast, it is better for him to break the fast. Ahmad
said that it is best to break the fast. 'Umar ibn 'Abdulaziz
says: "The best of the two acts is the easier of the two.
If it is easier for one to fast than to make up the day later
on, then, in his case, to fast is better."
Ash-Shaukani has concluded that if it is difficult for an
individual to fast or to reject the concession, then it is
best for him not to fast (while traveling). Similarly, if one
fears that one's fasting during travel will look like showing
off, then in this case, breaking the fast would be preferred.
If one is not faced with such conditions, then fasting would
be preferred.
If a traveler makes the intention (to fast) during the
night, he can still break his fast during the day. Jabir ibn
'Abdullah reported:
"The Messenger of Allah left for Makkah during the
year of the conquest [of Makkah] and he and the people with
him fasted until he reached a certain valley. He then called
for a cup of water, which he elevated so that the people could
see it, and then he drank. Afterwards, he was told that some
people had continued to fast, and he said: 'Those are
disobedient ones, those are disobedient ones.' " This is
related by Muslim, at-Tirmizhi, and an-Nasa'i. At-Tirmizhi
called it sahih.
If one has already made the intention to fast while
resident but then decided to travel during the day, the
majority of scholars maintain that he must fast. Ahmad and
Ishaq say that he may break the fast. This opinion is based on
the report of Muhammad ibn Ka'b who said: "I came to Anas
ibn Malik during Ramadan while he was planning on traveling.
His mount was prepared for him, and he was wearing his clothes
for traveling. He asked for some food and ate. I said to him:
'Is this a sunnah?' He said, 'Yes.' Then he mounted his animal
and left." This is related by at-Tirmizhi, who called it
hassan.'Ubaid ibn Jubair said: "During Ramadan, I rode on
a ship with Abu Basra al-Ghafari from al-Fustat. He prepared
his food and said, "Come [and eat]." I said:
"Are we not still among the houses [of the city - that
is, they had not left yet]?" Abu Basra asked: "Are
you turning away from the sunnah of the Messenger of
Allah?" This is related by Ahmad and Abu Dawud. Its
narrators are trustworthy.
Ash-Shaukani contends: "These two hadith prove that a
traveler may break his fast before he begins his joumey. Of
its credentials, Ibn al-'Arabi says: 'Concerning the hadith of
Anas, it is sahih and proves that one can break the fast when
he is prepared to travel.'" This is the correct position.
The type of travel that allows one to break his fast is the
same as the traveling which allows one to shorten the prayers.
We have discussed all of the opinions on this point under the
section Shortening the Prayers, and we have also recorded Ibn
al-Qayyim's conclusions on this question.
Ahmad, Abu Dawud, al-Baihaqi, and at-Tahawi recorded from
Mansur al-Kalbi that Dihya ibn Khalifah traveled a distance of
one farsakh during Ramadan. When he broke his fast, some of
the people accompanying him did likewise. Some of them did not
agree with this action. On his return to his city, Dihya said:
"I saw some hing today that I did not suspect I would
ever see. The people tumed away the Messenger of Allah's
guidance and that of his companions." He said that about
the people who had fasted. Then he said: "O Allah, take
[my soul] to you." All of its narrators are trustworthy,
except for Mansur al-Kalbi... although al-'Ijli affirms his
credibility.
The scholars agree that it is obligatory for menstruating
women and women with postchildbirth bleeding to break the fast
and to make up the missed days later on. Al-Bukhari and Muslim
recorded that 'Aishah said: "When we would have our
menses during the lifetime of the Prophet, we were ordered to
make up the days of fasting that we had missed but were not
ordered to make up the prayers that we had missed.
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