Some of Fasting Provisions
❶If the elderly and the patients with a chronic illness are unable to fast, they can break their fasting, on condition that a righteous Muslim physician advises them to do so, and they should give the poor a sum of money equals the cost of breakfast and pre-dawn meals of every day they have not fasted on it. God says ﴾And upon those who are able [to fast, but with hardship] - a ransom [as substitute] of feeding a poor person [each day] ﴿Chapter of the Heifer.
❷Pregnant or nursing women do not fast if they fear for their health. They must make up for missed days of fasting, but if they fear for the safety of the foetus or the infant, they do not fast and they must give the poor a sum of money equals the cost of breakfast and pre-dawn meals of every day they have not fasted on it.
❸A patient with a temporary disease does not fast, on condition that a righteous Muslim physician advises him to do so, and after his recovery, he makes up for missed days of fasting.
❹If a traveller for a distance of 84 km is unable to fast, he can break his fast. Afterwards, he makes up for missed days of fasting.
*Conditions on which a traveller breaks his fasting:
1) Previously mentioned conditions of shortening prayer are met.
2) The traveller begins his journey before emergence of dawn.
●ᶦAishah reported that Hamzah AL-Aslami (May Allah be pleased with him) asked the Prophet and said, “Should I fast during the journey?” The Prophet said: “Fast if you wish and break your fast if you wish.” [Abu-Daoud]. And in Sahih Muslim he said:“It is a concession from Allah. Whoever takes it has done well, and whoever wants to fast, there is no sin on him.”
●Abu-Saᶦid AL-Khudri reported: "We went out into a battle with Allah’s Messenger on the 16th of Ramadan. Some of us fasted and some of us broke the fast. But neither the fasting person found fault with the one who broke it, nor the breaker of fasting found fault with the one who observed
●Jabir ibn Abd-Allah reported: Allah’s Apostle was on a journey and saw a crowd of people, and a man was being shaded (by them). He asked, “What is the matter?” They said, “He (the man) is fasting.” The Prophet said, “It is not righteousness that you fast on a journey.” [The Two Scholars].
*If a Muslim always travels, as a train driver or a motorist, he must fast.
God says ﴾And whoever is ill or on a journey-then an equal number of other days﴿Chapter of the Heifer. And He says ﴾But to fast is best for you, if you only knew﴿ Chapter of the Heifer.
❺He who has sexual intercourse with his wife, must expiate this sin with fasting for two consecutive months. If he did not afford it, he would have to feed sixty poor persons. This is because he had committed a great sin.
●It was narrated from Abi-Hurairah that Allah’s Apostle said, “Whoever breaks the fast during Ramadan without a cause or an illness, then if he fasted for all time, his fasting would not make up for it.” [The Two Scholars].
❻Whoever had to make up for missed days of fasting Ramadan, and was lazy about doing so
❼Whoever forgets that he is fasting, and eats or drinks in the daytime of Ramadan, his fasting is valid, and he is to rinse his mouth and complete fasting that day.
●It was narrated from Abi-Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (P.P.B.U.H) said, “If anyone forgets that he is fasting and eats or drinks, he should complete his fast, for it is only Allah Who has fed him and given him drink.” [AL-Bukhari].
❽Whoever wakes up in the morning in a state of sexual impurity, his fasting is valid. He is to bathe immediately to be able to perform prayers.
●ᶦAishah (May Allah be pleased with her) reported: The dawn broke upon the Messenger of Allah during Ramadan in a state of sexual impurity (Janabah) after having sexual relations with his wives. Then, he took a bath and fasted.” [Agreed upon].
❾Whoever gets up, does not know if it has been called to the morning prayer or not, and eats or drinks, then he discovers that it has been called to the morning prayer, his fasting becomes invalid. He is to abstain from eating and drinking on this day, and afterwards he makes up for this day.
❿He who dies and obligatory, vow, or expiation fasting is due on him, one of his relatives (ascendants or descendants) fasts on his behalf, or feeds a number of poor persons equals the number of these missed days.
●Ibn Abbas reported: A man came to the Prophet and said, “My mother died and she ought to have fasted one month (for her missed Ramadan). Shall I fast on her behalf?” The Prophet (P.P.B.U.H) said, “Yes, Allah’s debts have more right to be paid.” [The Two Scholars].
