Thirty Lessons of Ramadan: The Eleventh Lesson on Rulings Regarding Fasting and the Conditions That Permit Refraining From Fasting - Part 11
By
Mufti Abdul Malik Misbahi, New Age Islam
Translated
into English by Ghulam Ghaus Siddiqi, New Age Islam
2
April 2023
The
Conditions That Permit Refraining From Fasting
It
is reported in Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim from Ummul
Mu’minin A’isha (may Allah be pleased with her). She says, “Hamza bin Amr
Aslami often kept fasts, therefore he asked the beloved Prophet (peace be upon
him) if he should continue to do so while travelling. The Prophet (peace be
upon him) said, “If you wish to fast, then you may keep; if you do not wish to
fast, then you may not keep.”
It
is reported in Sahih Muslim from Abu Sa’eed Al Khudri (may Allah be
pleased with him). He says, “We went out in Jihad with the Messenger of Allah
(peace be upon him) on the sixteenth day of Ramadan. Some of us kept the fast,
but others did not. But, those who were fasting did not criticise those who
were not, and those who were not fasting did not criticise those who were.”
The
Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) is reported as saying, “Allah has
relieved the traveller of half of the prayer [Namaz/Salah], and He has
relieved the traveller, the nursing mother, and the pregnant woman of the duty
to fast.” Hazrat Anas bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) is the
source of this narration. (See Abu Dawud, Tirmizi, Nasa’i and Ibn Majah,
cited in Bahar-e-Shariat vol.5)
The
relief of half prayer for the traveller here means that he is required to
perform two Rak’ats instead of the four Rak’ats of Fard
prayers. Travellers, nursing mothers, and pregnant women have been given an
exception to the duty of fasting so they can avoid the fasts during Ramadan but
must continue to observe them afterwards and make up for the missed fasts.
Law: When not fasting, one is not sinful if they do so
for the following reasons: when travelling, when pregnant, when breastfeeding a
child, disease (which prevents one from fasting), old age, the fear of dying, Ikraah
(when one's life or other important interests are actually in danger), harm to
one's intellect, and Jihad. [Durr-e-Mukhtar]
Law: It is obligatory upon those who broke their fasts
for an acceptable Shar'i reason [Uzr] to keep the Qaza of
those fasts [after the end of Uzr]; Tarteeb (sequence) is not
obligatory in these fasts. Because of this, keeping Nafil fasts prior to
these fasts is valid. But, according to the ruling, the Qaza fasts
should be kept after the end of Uzr and before the start of the next
Ramadan. The Hadith states that if a person had Qaza fasts from the
previous Ramadan and did not keep them, his current Ramadan fasts would not be
accepted. If the Qaza fasts were not observed and the subsequent
Ramadan arrived, one should still observe the fasts of the ongoing Ramadan, and
not keep the Qaza fasts at this time. Even if a person who is not ill or
a traveller made the intention to observe a Qaza fast, it would still
not be considered a Qaza fast and would instead be considered a fast of
the current Ramadan. [Durr-e-Mukhtar] The Hadith here actually signifies
that even though these fasts will be considered valid, they won't be accepted
until the Qaza fasts have been observed.
Law: A Shaykh-e-Faani is an elderly person
whose advanced age will cause him to become weaker over time. Such a person is
exempt from fasting, and it is Waajib upon him to offer Fidya in
place of each fast if he is unable to continue keeping the fast, indicating
that there is no probability that he will be able to do so in the future. To
put it another way, he ought to offer a Miskeen (someone in need) enough
food for two full meals or the appropriate amount of Sadaqa-e-Fitr to
compensate for each fast. [Durr-e-Mukhtar]
Law: If such an old person (i.e. Shaykh-e-Faani)
is unable to fast during the summer owing to the heat, but is able to fast
during the winter, it is permissible for him to skip the fasts during the
summer, but it is obligatory upon him to observe the Qaza fasts in the
winter. [Raddul Muhtar]
Law: After paying the Fidya, if someone becomes
strong enough to fast, it will be considered Nafil Sadaqa; in
this case, he should now keep the Qaza for those fasts [for which he had
paid the Fidya]. [Alamgiri]
Law: One can either pay the Fidya for all of
the fasts at once at the beginning of Ramadan or at the end. [Alamgiri]
Law: A woman should not observe the Nafil, the Mannat,
or the Oath fasts without the consent of her husband. If she has kept such a
fast, her spouse may request that she end it. However, If she breaks the fast,
the Qaza of the fast will become compulsory [Waajib] upon her.
Also, she requires the permission of her husband in order to observe even this Qaza
fast. [Alamgiri]
Law: She doesn't need the consent of her husband to
observe the Ramadan fasts or the Qaza of the Ramadan fasts. Also, she
ought to keep these fasts even if her husband prevents her from keeping them. [Durre
Mukhtar and Raddul Muhtaar]
(Continued)
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Mufti Abdul Malik Misbahi is the author of multiple books. He has also
lectured and held positions such as Mufti, Shaykhul Hadith, president,
founder, and director at a number of institutions, including Darul
Uloom Ghousia in Hubli, Karnataka, and Darul Uoom Solemaniya Rahmaniya in
Bikaner Darul Uloom Reza-e-Mustafa, Bihar, Madrasa Shah
Khalid, Vanwa Libo Muslim League, Fiji (near Australia), Madina
Educational Society, Rajasthan. He currently holds the positions of Mufti
in the Sunni Darul Ifta in the Madina Masjid, General Secretary of
the Raza Foundation, Director of the Darain Academy, Founder
of the Afkar-e- Raza Institution, and Chief Editor of the Do-Maahi
Raza-e-Madina (Urdu, Hindi) in Azadnagar, Jamshedpur, Jharkhand.
Previous Articles:
Thirty Lessons of Ramadan: Welcome to Ramadan and First Lesson on the Virtues
of Ramadan
Thirty Lessons of Ramadan: Second Lesson on the Respect of Ramadan –
Part 2
Thirty Lessons Of Ramadan: Third Lesson On The Horrific Consequences Of
Desecrating Ramadan – Part 3
Thirty Lessons of Ramadan: Fourth Lesson on the Fasting Of Ramadan and
its Intention – Part 4
Thirty Lessons Of Ramadan: Seventh Lesson On Sehri [Pre-Dawn Meal] Part
7
Thirty Lessons of Ramadan: Eighth Lesson on Iftar – Part 8
Thirty Lessons of Ramadan: Ninth Lesson on Rulings and
Laws Related to Fasting – Part 9
Thirty Lessons Of Ramadan: Tenth Lesson On Rulings And
Laws Related To Fasting – Part 10
URL: https://newageislam.com/islam-spiritualism/ramadan-rulings-refraining-fasting-part-11/d/129469
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