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The Rules on Prayer & Fasting
- Prayer
- Fasting
- Conditions and Requirements of Obligatory Fast
Conditions and Requirements of Obligatory Fast
787. For fasting in Ramadan to be obligatory, one should meet the following terms:
1- Attaining the age of bulūgh,
2- Sanity,
3- Capability,
4- Consciousness,
5- Not being a traveler,
6- Not being in menses or nifās (for a woman),
7- Fasting is not harmful,
8- Fasting is not unbearably hard.
788. Fasting is obligatory for people who meet the above conditions. Therefore, fasting is not obligatory for an immature child, an insane person, an unconscious person, a person who is unable to fast, a traveler, a menstruating woman or after delivery in some cases, and a person for whom fasting is harmful or involves unbearable hardship.
789. If a child reaches bulūgh before morning adhān in Ramadan, he must fast. However, if he reaches bulūgh after morning adhān, fasting on that day is not obligatory.
790. It is obligatory for girls who have just reached bulūgh* to fast, and it is not permissible to break it simply because of hardship, physical weakness, or the like unless fasting is harmful to them or it is very difficult to bear it.
* According to the famous opinion, when she completes nine lunar years, i.e. equal to 8 solar year, 8 months and 23 days.
791. The fasting of a woman experiencing menses or nifās is not correct, even if she menstruates or gives birth moments before maghrib. The same rule applies if she becomes clean moments after fajr.
792. Whoever knows, or rationally thinks (i.e. fears), that fasting is harmful for them, they are not required to fast. Rather, fasting, in some situations, is ḥarām for them, whether this knowledge or fear is originated from one's personal experience, the advice of a trustworthy physician, or another rational source. If such a person fasts, their fast is not in order unless they fast intending nearness to Allah and later they come to know that it was not harmful.
793. A person who believes that fasting does not harm him, if he fasts and realizes after maghrib that fasting has harmed him, his fast is invalid and he must perform its qaḍā’.
794. It rests with the mukallaf to recognize the effect of fasting in causing illness or its exacerbation, not being able to fast, or its being harmful. Therefore, if a doctor says: fasting is harmful, but his words do not give him confidence or fear of harm, or the mukallaf has learned through experience that fasting is not harmful, he should fast. Also if the doctor says: fasting is not harmful, but he himself knows that fasting is harmful for him or fear so, he should not fast, and fasting is forbidden for him.
795. If a sick person gets better during the day in the month of Ramadan, it is not obligatory to make the intention and fast that day. However, if it is before ẓuhr and he has not done anything that invalidates the fast, it is mustaḥabb caution to make the intention and fast and to perform its qaḍā’ after the month of Ramadan.
796. For a mustaḥabb fast to be valid, it is necessary that one does not owe qaḍā’ of Ramadan fast and by obligatory caution no obligatory fast.
797. If the person, who owes qaḍā’ fast but does not know that it is not in order to keep a mustaḥabb fast while owing a qaḍā’ one, keeps a mustaḥabb fast, their fast is void and does not replace their qaḍā’ one.
798. A person, who does not know whether he owes qaḍā’ fast or not, if he fasts with the intention of what is his duty (whether a fast of qaḍā’ and mustaḥabb fast) while in fact he owes a fast of qaḍā’, it is counted as the fast of qaḍā’.
799. A person owes qaḍā’ fast of Ramadan but forgets it and observes a mustaḥabb fast. If he remembers it in the middle of the day, the mustaḥabb fast is invalidated. Of course, if it is before ẓuhr, he may intend qaḍā’ fast of Ramadan while in the afternoon, his intention of qaḍā’ fast of Ramadan is not valid either.
- Obligatory Acts of Fasting
- 1. Intention
- 2. Refraining from Fast Invalidators
- 1. Eating and Drinking
1. Eating and Drinking
818. If a fasting person intentionally and knowingly eats or drinks something, his fast will be invalidated, whether it is the usual foods and drinks or non-food items, like paper, cloth, and whether it is large or small, like small drops of water or a small piece of bread.
819. If a fasting person accidentally eats or drinks something, his fast is not invalidated; whether it is an obligatory or mustaḥabb fast.
820. If a fasting person deliberately swallows food that is stuck on his teeth, his fast is invalidated. However, if he does not know that the food is stuck on his teeth, or if he does not swallow it deliberately and attentively, then his fast is not invalidated.
821. Swallow one's saliva does not invalidate the fast.
822. Swallowing mucus from one's head or chest before it reaches the mouth cavity does not invalidate the fast. But if it enters the mouth, one should not swallow it by obligatory caution.
823. It is obligatory for the fasting person to refrain from using nutrient injections, intravenous injections and volume expanders. But one is allowed to get non-nutrient ampoules injected into the muscle, such as antibiotic, painkiller or anesthesia ampoules, as well as medicine that is placed on wounds and injuries.
824. By obligatory caution a fasting person must avoid the smoke of all kinds of tobacco products and narcotic drugs that are absorbed through the nose or under the tongue.
825. One is allowed to take pills and the like if it is necessary to treat a disease, but the fast is invalidated and one must make up for it.
826. When using a sublingual pill, if saliva is mixed with it but you spit the saliva out, fasting is valid.
827. If, while eating, he realizes that it is morning, he must take the bite out of his mouth, and if he swallows it intentionally, his fast is invalid.
828. Mouth bleeding does not invalidate the fast. However, one should not let it reach the throat.
829. If gum/teeth blood is dissolved (disappeared) in the saliva, it is ruled as pure and swallowing it does not invalidate the fast. The same ruling applies if one doubts as to whether blood is present in the mouth of not, i.e. one may swallow it and the fast is alright.
830. Chewing food for a child, tasting food and the like, which usually does not reach the throat, does not invalidate the fast, even if it accidentally and unintentionally reaches the throat and is swallowed. But if one knows from the beginning that it will reach the throat, the fast is invalidated if it is swallowed.
831. A person cannot break the fast due to weakness, but if his weakness is such that he cannot usually bear it, he can break the fast and then make up for it.
- 2. Sexual Intercourse
2. Sexual Intercourse
832. Sexual intercourse invalidates the fast, even if semen does not come out.
833. If one forgets that he is fasting and has sexual intercourse, his fast is not invalidated, but whenever he remembers, he must immediately stop having intercourse, otherwise his fast is invalidated.
- 3. Masturbation
3. Masturbation
834. If a fasting person intentionally causes semen to come out, his fast is void.
835. If a person does something with the intention of discharging semen, if the semen does not come out, as a caution, he should complete the fast and then make up for it.
836. If a fasting person unintentionally discharges semen whether he is asleep or awake, the fast is not void.
837. Having wet dream during the day does not invalidates one's fast. Moreover, one may sleep even if they know that they will have wet dream during sleep.
838. If a fasting person wakes up while semen is coming out, it is not obligatory to prevent it.
839. If a fasting person — whether or not during Ramadan month — has a wet dream, it is not a must to take ghusl immediately after waking up.
- 4. Not to Make Ghusl of Janābah, Menses, Nifās before Morning Adhān
4. Not to Make Ghusl of Janābah, Menses, Nifās before Morning Adhān
840. If a person is junub at night during Ramadan, he should perform ghusl before the morning adhān, and if he does not do ghusl intentionally until then, his fast is void. Of course, until maghrib, he should refrain from doing things that invalidate the fast.
841. During Ramadan, if one gets junub at night but unintentionally fails to take ghusl by the time of morning adhān; e.g. they have a wet dream but does not awake by the morning adhān, their fast is alright.
842. A person who wants to observe a qaḍā’ fast, if he deliberately does not take a ghusl of janābah before fajr, his fast is invalid. However, if he does not take it unintentionally, his fast is invalid as a caution.
843. During Ramadan, a person gets junub at night and knows that if they sleep, they will get up before morning adhān. Their fast is void if they sleep and do not get up before morning adhān in case they do not want to take ghusl after waking up or doubt whether to take it or not.
844. Whoever gets junub while being awake, or has wet dream, then wakes up and knows that they will not wake up before adhān for ghusl if they sleep, they are not allowed to sleep before taking ghusl. Therefore, if they sleep without taking ghusl before morning adhān, their fast is void. But if they think that they may wake up before morning adhān for ghusl and they want to take ghusl but they fail to wake up, their fast is alright. However, if they wake up but sleep again and do not wake up till morning adhān, they should make up for the fast of this day in qaḍā’.
845. In the month of Ramadan, if someone forgets to make ghusl of janābah and starts his fast in the state of janābah, the fast of this day is valid. But if this forgetfulness lasts for a few days, he should make up for the fasts during forgetfulness. Of course, their prayers are void in all cases.
846. A person who doubts whether not taking ghusl of janābah before morning adhān invalidates the fast or not and fasts while he is junub, by obligatory caution, his fast is invalid and he must also make up for it. However, if he is sure that remaining junub does not invalidate the fast and he fasts on that basis, then his fast is valid, even though it is good to observe caution in performing qaḍā’ of this fast.
847. A person who is obligated to perform ghusl during the night of Ramadan, if he is unable to perform ghusl because there is no enough time, using water is harmful, or the like, he must perform tayammum instead of ghusl before fajr.
848. A person who does not have time to perform ghusl or tayammum during the night of Ramadan, if he makes himself junub, his fast is invalid, so he is obligated to make its qaḍā’ and pay kaffārah. But his fast is valid if he makes himself junub while he only has time for tayammum and performs tayammum before fajr.
849. It is permissible for a person whose duty is tayammum to make himself junub during the night of the holy month of Ramadan provided that he has enough time for tayammum after becoming junub.
850. If a woman becomes clean of menses/nifās, she must make ghusl before morning adhān. If she neglects it on purpose, her fast is void.
851. If a woman experiences menstruation or gives birth while fasting, her fast is invalidated.
852. If a woman becomes clean of nifās or menstruation after the morning adhān, she cannot fast that day.
853. If a woman forgets ghusl of menstruation or nifās and remembers it later, the fasts she took during this period are correct whether it is Ramadan fasting or not.
- 5. Enema
5. Enema
854. Applying something liquid (enema), even if it is necessary for treatment, invalidates the fast, but the use of suppositories is no problem and does not invalidate the fast.
- 6. Vomiting
6. Vomiting
855. If one vomits on purpose, the fast is void even in case he is forced to do so due to an illness or the like. However, if it happens inadvertently or involuntarily, it is no problem.
856. If something comes up to the fasting person's mouth while belching, he must throw it out, but if he swallows it involuntarily, his fast is valid.
- 7. Lying regarding God, the Prophets and the Infallibles(peace be upon them)
7. Lying regarding God, the Prophets and the Infallibles (peace be upon them)
857. Lying about God, the Prophets, and the Infallible (peace be upon them) invalidates the fast, by obligatory caution, even if one later repents and says he lied.
858. There is no problem in quoting traditions found in books and one does not know that they are false, although it is advisable to narrate them attributing them to that book.
859. If one narrates something as the words of God, that of a prophet, or the infallible (peace be upon them) with the belief that it is true, and then realizes that it is a lie, his fast is not invalidated.
860. If a fasting person, while knowing that telling a lie about Almighty God or the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) invalidates the fast, attributes to them what he knows to be a lie, and later it turns out to be true, then by caution, he should observe the fast till maghrib and then make up for it later as well.
861. If a fasting person is asked: "Has the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said something like this? and he deliberately answers contrary to the fact, his fast is invalidated by caution.
- 8. To Allow Thick Dust Reach the Throat
8. To Allow Thick Dust Reach the Throat
862. By obligatory caution, a fasting person should not swallow thick dust (like what rises when sweeping the dusty ground); otherwise, their fast is, by caution, invalidated. The same rule applies to the smoke of cigarette and other tobacco products.
863. There is no problem in a fasting person's using a spray that contains medicine to relieve shortness of breath and it does not invalidate the fast.
864. Dust’s or smoke’s entering the mouth and nose without reaching the throat does not invalidate the fast.
865. If thick dust rises due to the wind and a person is aware that he is fasting, but does not take care and the dust reaches his throat, his fast is invalidated by obligatory caution.
866. If one forgets that he is fasting and dust or the like reaches his throat, his fast is not invalidated. Also, if the dust accidentally enters the throat, fasting is correct.
- 9. Immersing Head in Water
9. Immersing Head in Water
867. If a fasting person immerses the whole head in water, their fast is, by obligatory caution, invalidated and they must make up for the fast of that day.
868. As far as the previous ruling is concerned, while immersing one's head in water, it makes no difference whether the body is also in the water, or only the head is immersed in water.
869. If one immerses one half of their head in water and then take it out and immerse the 2nd half, one's fast is not invalidated.
870. If one deliberately immerses the whole head in water, but some of the hair is left out, the fast is invalidated by obligatory caution.
871. If one doubts whether his whole head is/was under water or not, his fast is valid.
872. If a fasting person falls into water unwillingly and his whole head is covered with water, or if his head is forced under water, his fast is not invalidated but he must immediately bring his head out of water. Also if one forgets that he is fasting and immerses his head in water, the fast is not invalidated, but whenever he remembers, he should immediately take his head out of water.
873. Pouring water on one’s head or standing under the shower does not invalidate the fast.
- Some Rulings on Fast Invalidators
Some Rulings on Fast Invalidators
874. Fasting is invalidated by the aforementioned actions (eating, drinking, etc.) if it is done intentionally and voluntarily, but if it is not intentional, such as if one's foot slips and one falls into water, or if he eats forgetting his fast, or something is forcefully poured down his throat, the fast is not invalidated.
875. If a fasting person inadvertently does one of the things that invalidate the fast, then, thinking that his fast have been invalidated, he deliberately does it again, his fast is invalidated.
876. If a fasting person is forced to do one of the fast invalidators, such as someone’s telling him: “If you do not eat, your life is at risk or we damage your property”, and he eats himself to avoid harm, his fast is invalidated.
877. If a fasting person doubts whether he has done something that invalidates the fast, such as if he doubts whether he has swallowed the water he has put in his mouth or not, his fast is valid.
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- Makrūh Acts during a Fast
Makrūh Acts during a Fast
878. Some makrūh acts for a fasting person are as follows:
1. Any act that causes weakness, (such as donating blood and taking a bath);
2. Smelling a fragrant plant, (wearing perfume is not makrūh);
3. Wetting the clothes one is wearing;
4. Brushing with wet wood;
5. Pulling teeth and doing anything that causes blood to come from the mouth;
6. Tasting food and the like;
7. Pouring medicine in the nose if it does not reach the throat;
8. Applying medicine in the eyes and applying kajal if the smell or taste reaches the throat;
9. A woman's sitting in water;
10. Touching one’s wife, joking with her and doing anything that arouses sexual desire;
11. Too much gargling is makrūh for a fasting person.
- Cases in which Qaḍā’ and Intentional kaffārah Are Obligatory
Cases in which Qaḍā’ and Intentional kaffārah Are Obligatory
879. Whenever one commits a fast invalidator* intentionally, by choice, and without a shar‘ī excuse during the holy month of Ramadan, in addition to the fact that the fast is invalidated and requires qaḍā’, they are obligated to observe intentional kaffārah, whether they know that it requires kaffārah or not.
* Except for sleeping a junub person without making ghusl whose rules has been mentioned in details.
880. If one commits a fast invalidator as they do not know the shar‘ī rule, such as they do not know that taking medicine is the same as taking other edible things and invalidates the fast. Even in this case if he takes medicine on the day of Ramadan, his fast is invalidated and he must make its qaḍā’. But kaffārah is not obligatory.
881. If one does something that he knows it is ḥarām but does not know that it invalidates the fast, then in addition to qaḍā’, he must pay kaffārah by obligatory caution.
882. If something comes up into the mouth of a fasting person, he should not swallow it, and if he swallows it intentionally, both qaḍā’ and kaffārah becomes obligatory.
883. If someone makes a nadhr to fast on a certain day, if he intentionally does not fast on that day or invalidates his fast, he must pay kaffārah, i.e. to feed ten poor persons or give them clothes. In case that one is not able to do that, he must fast for three days.
884. One is obligated to perform qaḍā’ fast as well as kaffārah if one breaks his fast in the month of Ramadan as someone says that it is time for maghrib — while there is no trust in his statement — and then the former realizes that it was not maghrib.
885. If a person who intentionally invalidates his fast goes on a journey on that day, the kaffārah remains obligatory.
886. In the case of sexual intercourse, the fast of both partners is invalid and it becomes obligatory for both of them to perform qaḍā’ and kaffārah.
- The Kaffārah of Breaking Fast Intentionally
The Kaffārah of Breaking Fast Intentionally
887. In the holy Islamic shariah, there are three kinds of kaffārah for intentionally breaking a Ramadan fast:
a) To free a slave;
b) to keep fasts for two months;
c) or to feed sixty poor people.
Because at the time being there is no slave to be freed, one should choose one of the two other options.
888. Whoever wants to keep fasts for two months as a kaffārah of the fast of Ramadan should keep, at least, (one complete month and one day of the next month) or the 1st 31 days consecutively. As for the rest (29 fasts), if they do not keep them consecutively, it is no problem.
889. A person who has to fast consecutively, if he does not fast for one day in between without an excuse, or if he starts when he comes across a day in which fasting is forbidden, such as ‘Īd of Aḍḥā, or if it is a day in which fasting is obligatory, for example, when he reaches a day that he has vowed to fast on that day, the days he has fasted are not counted and he must fast again from the beginning.
890. A person who wants to fast for sixty days, if there is an excuse, such as an illness or menses, in between due to which she is unable to fast, after the excuse is removed, she can continue the rest of the fasts and it is not necessary to start from the beginning.
891. Feeding sixty poor people can be performed in two ways:
a- to satisfy them with cooked food, or;
b- or to provide each one with 750 gm. (one mudd) of a food item, like wheat, flour, bread, or rice.892. A poor person is a person who does not have the expenses for himself and his family during the year nor can earn.
893. If a person is not able to do any of the three options in intentional kaffārah, he should feed as many poor people as he can, and it is a caution to ask Allah for forgiveness as well. If he is not able to feed any poor person, it is enough for him to ask Allah for forgiveness, that is, to say with his heart and tongue: أستغغفر الله (I ask God for forgiveness).
894. A person whose duty is to ask Allah for forgiveness due to his inability to fast or feed the poor, if he becomes able to fast or feed the poor later, it is mustaḥabb caution for him to do so.
895. If a person, who wants to feed needy people (as mentioned in the previous rule) as intentional kaffārah, can find 60 needy people, he/she should not pay any of them the share of two or more needy people, i.e. more than one mudd (750 gm.) food, such as wheat, flour, rice, or bread. Rather, it is necessary to give 750 gm. food to any of these 60 people. However, one may give a needy person the shares of his family members so that he/she spends on them. As far as the needy person is concerned, it makes no difference whether it is a child, an adult, a male or a female.
896. If a fasting person does something that invalidates the fast more than once in one day, only one kaffārah is obligatory for him. Of course, if he invalidates the fast by having sexual intercourse or masturbating, by obligatory caution, he is to pay kaffārah as much as he had sexual intercourse or masturbated.
897. If someone invalidates his fast in the month of Ramadan by having forbidden sex or consuming forbidden food and drink, one of the three kaffārahs is sufficient, although it is mustaḥabb caution to observe all three kaffārahs (freeing the slave, fasting for sixty days, or giving food to sixty poor people).
898. A person who is required to observe kaffārah is not obligated to do it immediately, but he should not delay it to such an extent that it is considered as negligence in performing the obligation.
899. If one does not pay the obligatory kaffārah for a few years, nothing is added to it.
900. There is no order in performing the qaḍā’ of fasting and its kaffārah, i.e. each can be prioritized over the other.
- Cases in which Only Qaḍā’ of Fasting Is Obligatory
Cases in which Only Qaḍā’ of Fasting Is Obligatory
901. A person is to make up for his fast but kaffārah is not required if he abstains from fast invalidators but he:
a) does not intend to fast on the day of Ramadan;
b) fasts but in order to show people that he fasts; or,
c) intends not to fast.902. During the night of Ramadan, if a junub person does not wake up from the second sleep until the morning adhān (the details are mentioned in issue 844), he is obligated only to make up for the fast as qaḍā’. Of course, until maghrib, he must refrain from doing things that invalidate the fast.
903. A person who forgets the ghusl of janābah during the month of Ramadan and fasts for a few days despite his janābah, he is obligated only to make up for these fasts as qaḍā’.
904. At dawn during Ramadan, as long as he is not sure that it is time for fajr, he can do things that invalidate the fast.
905. At dawn during Ramadan, if one does something that invalidates the fast without investigating whether it is fajr time or not and then it turns out that it was, he must make up for that day. However, if he does so after investigating and becoming sure that it is before fajr but then it turns out that it was time for morning adhān, he is not to make up for the fast.
906. On the day of Ramadan, as long as one is not sure of maghrib, he cannot break his fast.
907. On the day of Ramadan, one breaks his fast after becoming sure that it is maghrib because of darkness or because those, whose news is authentic according to shar‘, say that it is maghrib, but later it turns out that it was not maghrib. In this case, he must perform qaḍā’ of that day.
908. If, due to the cloudy sky, one thinks it is maghrib and breaks his fast, but later it turns out that it was not maghrib, qaḍā’ of that day is not obligatory.
909. If it becomes permissible or obligatory to invalidate the fast for some reason, such as if he is forced to do something that invalidates the fast, or if one jumps into the water to save the life of a drowning person, in this case, kaffārah is not obligatory but it is obligatory to make up for this fast as qaḍā’.
910. If a fasting person during wuḍū’ (when it is mustaḥabb to gargle) gargle with confidence that the water will not go in but water goes in involuntarily, then in case that it is wuḍū’ for an obligatory prayer, his fast is valid. However, if he performs wuḍū’ for something else, or gargle for other than wuḍū’, such as cooling down and the water goes in involuntarily, he should make the qaḍā’ of that day as a caution.
911. If a fasting person knows that during gargling water will be swallowed unintentionally or out of forgetfulness, he should not gargle.
- Rulings of Qaḍā’ Fast
Rulings of Qaḍā’ Fast
912. A person, who has been unconscious or in a coma for one or more days and missed some obligatory fasts, does not need to make up for the fasts of those days.
913. A person who missed some fast(s) due to being drunk, e.g. he did not intend fasting, even if he had fasted for the whole day, his fasting is not valid and its qaḍā’ is obligatory.
914. A person who intends to fast but gets drunk and remains like that for the whole or a part of the day, he must, by obligatory caution, make up for this fast, especially in case of severe drunkenness which causes loss of reason.
915. In the previous two issues, it does not matter whether it is ḥarām for him to consume intoxicating substance or it is not ḥarām due to an illness or as he does not know that it is intoxicating.
916. If a woman misses some fasts due to menstruation or childbirth, she must make up for them after the month of Ramadan.
917. If a person does not fast during the month of Ramadan due to an illness, menstruation, or postpartum bleeding (nifās) and dies before the end of Ramadan, it is not necessary for others to make up these fasts on his/her behalf.
918. A person who has not fasted several days of Ramadan due to an excuse but does not know how many fasts he has missed, then if he does not know its beginning, e.g. he does not know whether he went on a journey on the twenty-fifth of Ramadan, so that he missed six fasts, or it was on the twenty-sixth and he missed five days, he can make up for the smaller number of the days.
But if he knows when it started, for example, he knows that he started his journey on the fifth day of the month, but he does not know whether he returned at night before the tenth and he missed five days or he returned at night before the 11th and has missed six fasts, in this case, he must fast for the bigger number of days.
919. If someone has missed fasts in several months of Ramadan, then it is correct to take qaḍā’ of each one first, but if the time for qaḍā’ of the last month of Ramadan is too short, such as if he missed five fasts in the last month of Ramadan and after five days next Ramadan starts, in this case, at first he must make up for the fasts of the last Ramadan as qaḍā’ by obligatory caution.
920. A person who makes up for a fast he missed during the last month of Ramadan may break his fast before ẓuhr if there is enough time to observe it before the next Ramadan. However, if there is no enough time, i.e. it remains just several days before the next Ramadan which equal the number of fast he missed during the last Ramadan, he is not to break his fast even before ẓuhr by caution.
921. A person who is making up for a qaḍā’ fast he missed during Ramadan, if he intentionally breaks his fast after ẓuhr, he must give food to ten poor people, and if he cannot, he must fast for three days.
922. If one owes qaḍā’ of several months of Ramadan and he does not specify in his intention which fast he takes, then it is considered as the qaḍā’ of the first year.
923. If somebody does not fast in Ramadan for an excuse (like an illness or a travel) but before the next Ramadan they become able to fast, they should make up for this missed fasts in qaḍā’.
924. If someone does not fast in Ramadan due to being ill and their illness continues till the next Ramadan, they are not required to make up for these missed Ramadan fasts in qaḍā’ but they must give one mudd (750 gm.) food to the needy for each day.
925. If a person does not fast during the month of Ramadan due to an illness, and after the month of Ramadan, his illness is cured, but he immediately faces another excuse and is unable to perform qaḍā’ of the fasts until the next month of Ramadan, he must make up those fasts as qaḍā’ in the following years.
Also, if he has an excuse other than illness during the month of Ramadan and it is resolved after the month of Ramadan, but he cannot fast until the next month of Ramadan due to illness, then he must make up for these fasts.
926. A person who has missed some fasts during the month of Ramadan due to travel, if he continues to travel until the next month of Ramadan, the qaḍā’ of the previous Ramadan will not be waived and he must fulfill it later. By mustaḥabb caution, he is to pay kaffārah of delay as well.
927. If due to physical weakness one is unable to fast in the month of Ramadan nor to make up for it until next Ramadan, the qaḍā’ will not be waived, and he should perform the qaḍā’ whenever he can. Likewise, someone who has not fasted for several years, has repented and decided to make them up is obligated to make up for all the fasts he missed. If he is unable to do so, the qaḍā’ of the fasts remains obligatory for him.
- Kaffārah of Delay
Kaffārah of Delay
It means Kaffārah that becomes obligatory due to delay in performing qaḍā’ of fasting during the month of Ramadan until the arrival of the next month of Ramadan.
928. If, due to an excuse, one does not fast in the month of Ramadan, then the excuse is over but one, till the next Ramadan comes, does not make up for their missed fasts, they should, in addition to making up for the missed fasts in qaḍā’, provide a needy person with 750 gm. food for each day.
929. One must give one mudd (750 gm.) of food for each day as kaffārah of delay to the poor in addition to fasting and kaffārah of breaking one's fast intentionally if they do not fast during Ramadan on purpose nor perform its qaḍā’ before the next Ramadan.
930. Kaffārah for delay is one mudd, i.e. 750 grams of wheat, flour, bread, rice or other food and it is to be given to the poor.
931. If one delays the qaḍā’ of fasting in the month of Ramadan for several years, he must pay the very one mudd of food in addition to the qaḍā’ of fasting, and nothing becomes obligatory for him because of the delay in the following years.
932. A person who has to give one mudd of food for each day, can give kaffārah for several days to a poor person.
933. In case that one does not know that it is a must to observe qaḍā’ of a fast before the next Ramadan, Kaffārah of delay is not waived.
- The Rulings on Qaḍā’ of One's Parent's Missed Prayers/Fasts
The Rulings on Qaḍā’ of One's Parent's Missed Prayers/Fasts
934. If the father, or the mother by obligatory caution, does not fast because of an excuse — other than travel — and does not make its qaḍā’ either although he/she was able to, it is obligatory for the elder son to perform its qaḍā’, or hire someone else to do so after the death of his parent. However, as to missed fasts due to traveling, it is obligatory for the elder son to perform its qaḍā’ even if they find no opportunity to perform its qaḍā’.
935. By obligatory caution, it is the eldest son's duty to make qaḍā’ of the fasts which his parents did not observe on purpose.
- Rulings on a Traveler's Fast
- People for Whom Fast Is not Obligatory
People for Whom Fast Is not Obligatory
954. If a pregnant woman, whose delivery is imminent, fears that fasting will harm her fetus or herself, fasting is not obligatory for her. In the first case (harmful to the fetus), she should pay one mudd of food (wheat, barely, etc.) as fidyah to the needy for each day and make up for it in qaḍā’ after the month of Ramadan as well. In the second case (harmful to herself), she should make up for the missed fasts in qaḍā’ and, according to caution, pay the fidyah as well. In case of a female whose delivery is not imminent, the ruling of paying fidyah is based on obligatory caution.
955. If a breastfeeding female (whether she is the baby's mother or another woman whether hired for this job or not) fears of harm to the baby due to a decrease in the quantity of milk or its drying up caused by fasting, she is not obligated to fast but she should pay fidyah for each day and make up for the missed fasts in qaḍā’ later on. However, if fasting is harmful to the woman herself, her paying fidyah is, by obligatory caution, mandatory.
956. In both previous issues, if she does not make up for the missed fasts by the next Ramadan, then if it is due to carelessness, she should, in addition to making up in qaḍā’, observe kaffārah of delay (i.e. to pay one mudd (about 750 gm.) food for each day to the needy), but if her delay is due to an excuse, there is no need for kaffārah of delay. However, if the excuse is due to fear that fast will harm her baby, she may make up for the missed fasts in qaḍā’ whenever she can, but if it is due to fear of harm to herself, she is not required to make up in qaḍā’ but should pay fidyah for each missed fast.
957. The payment of fidyah or kaffārah is the wife's duty and it is not obligatory for the husband, even if she has not fasted due to pregnancy or breastfeeding. Also, kaffārah or fidyah of a child is not the responsibility of the father. Of course, it is permissible for a husband or father to pay fidyah or kaffārah on behalf of his wife or child.
958. It is not obligatory for an old man and woman to fast if they find it difficult. However, they must pay fidyah, i.e. to give 750 gr. food (such as wheat, barley, or rice) to the poor for each day. If they are not able to fast at all, they must, by obligatory caution, pay fidyah. In both cases, if they can fast after the month of Ramadan, they should make up the missed fasts as a mustaḥabb caution.
959. A person who suffers from a disease that makes him very thirsty and cannot tolerate thirst, or it is difficult for him to tolerate thirst, fasting is not obligatory for him. Of course, in the second case (hardship), he must pay one mudd of food to the poor for each day, and by obligatory caution, he should also give this fidyah in the first case, and if he becomes able to fast after the month of Ramadan, he should observe the qaḍā’ fasts according to the mustaḥabb caution.
960. The amount of fidyah is the same as the amount of kaffārah for the delay, i.e. 750 grams of wheat, flour, bread, rice or other food items. Fidyah should be given to the poor.
- Way of Ascertaining the First of a Lunar Month
Way of Ascertaining the First of a Lunar Month
961. The first of the month is confirmed in five ways:
1. The fact that the moon is seen by the very mukallaf;
2. The testimony of two just people unless a large number of people deny the sighting of the crescent and the probability that these two persons have made a mistake is not strengthened;
3. Being maintained by many people so that it brings about knowledge or certainty;
4. Passage of 30 days from the beginning of the last month;
5. The verdict of the ḥākim of shar‘.
962. Seeing the crescent in the evening proves the arrival of the lunar month, and the night after the sighting of the crescent is considered as the first night of the month.
963. To see the crescent, there is no difference between the armed and the unarmed eye. So, when the moon is seen with a normal eye, it is the first of the month, and similarly if it is seen with glasses, a camera, or telescope, then the first of the month is confirmed, but it is problematic to say the first of the month is proved by seeing the image of the crescent reflected to a computer while it is not known that people call it sighting the crescent.
964. The fact that the moon is small and low, big and high, wide or narrow, etc., is not a shar‘ī reason for the first or second night of the moon, but if the person becomes certain through this method, he must act according to his knowledge in this field.
965. The first of the month is not determined by calendars and scientific calculations of astronomers unless one becomes certain due to their words.
966. If it is proved in a city that it is the first of the month, it is sufficient for other cities that are on the same horizon. It means the places that are the same in terms of the possibility and impossibility of seeing the crescent moon.
967. Mere confirmation of the crescent for the ḥākim of shar‘ is not enough for others to follow him unless he issues a verdict to this effect or they get confident regarding the crescent sighting.
968. If the ḥākim of shar‘ issues a verdict that tomorrow is the first of the month and this decree covers the whole country, by shar‘ his decree is valid for all the cities of that country.
969. If the announcement of the sighting of the crescent moon by a non-Islamic and oppressive or wrongdoing government makes the mukallaf certain that it is the first of the month, it is sufficient.
970. If the moon crescent is not visible in a city, but the radio and television announce the first of the month, if their news makes a person certain or confident about it, it is sufficient and there is no need to investigate.
971. If the first of Ramadan is not confirmed, fasting is not obligatory, but if it is later confirmed that it was the first of the month, then the fast of that day must be made up.
972. If the first of Shawwāl is not confirmed by sighting the crescent even in the neighboring cities with the same horizon, by the testimony of two just people, or by the ruling of the ḥākim of shar‘, then one should fast that day.
973. A person should fast on the day he doubts whether it is the end of Ramadan or the first of Shawwāl, but if it is confirmed during the day that it is the first of Shawwāl, he must break his fast, even if it is close to maghrib.
- Types of Fasting
Types of Fasting
974. There are four types of fasting: obligatory, forbidden, mustaḥabb and makrūh.
975. Obligatory fasts include:
1. Fasting in the holy month of Ramadan;
2. Qaḍā’ fast;
3. Kaffārah fast;
4. Fasting on the third day of i‘tikāf;
5. Fasting instead of sacrifice in Hajj of tamattu‘.
6. A mustaḥabb fast that has become obligatory through nadhr, ‘ahd, or swear;
7. Father’s qaḍā’ fasts, and those of the mother by obligatory caution, which are obligatory for the eldest son.
976. Some of the forbidden fasts are:
1. ‘Īd of Fitṛ fast;
2. ‘Īd of Aḍḥā fast;
3. Fasting on a day when they do not know whether it is the end of Sha‘bān or the first of Ramadan intended as Ramadan’s fast;
4. Mustaḥabb fasting of a wife in case the right of the husband is violated;
5. Fasting of a person for whom fasting is harmful;
6. A traveller's fast, except for cases that are excluded.
977. Fasting is mustaḥabb on all days of the year (except forbidden and mustaḥabb fasts). But fasting on some days is strongly mustaḥabb; including:
1. The first and last Thursday every lunar month and the first Wednesday after the 10th day every lunar month;
2. 13th, 14th and 15th of every lunar month;
3. The months of Rajab and Sha‘bān (all or a part of them, even one day);
4. Birthday of the Holy Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace (17 Rabī‘ al-Awwal);
5. ‘Īd of Mab‘ath (27 Rajab);
6. ‘Īd of al-Ghadīr (18 Dhul Hijjah);
7. Day of Dahwul Arḍ (25 Dhul Qa‘dah).
978. Makrūh fasts are as follows:
1. Mustaḥabb fasting of a guest without the permission of the host or with his prohibition;
2. Fasting on the day of ‘Arafah if it causes weakness that prevents the actions of ‘Arafah.
- Conclusion: Fasting Etiquettes and these of the Holy Month of Ramadan
Conclusion: Fasting Etiquettes and these of the Holy Month of Ramadan
979. When a person starts a mustaḥabb fast, it is not obligatory to complete it and he can break his fast whenever he wants, but if a believer invites him to a meal, it is nice for him to accept the invitation and break his fast.
980. It is mustaḥabb for a fasting person to perform the maghrib prayer before breaking the fast. However, if someone is waiting for him or if he is so hungry that he cannot perform the prayer with concentration, it is better to break the fast first, but if possible, to perform his prayer at its time of virtue.
981. In order to observe the etiquette and respect for the blessed month of Ramadan, it is mustaḥabb for the following people to refrain from the fast invalidators, even if they are not fasting:
1. A traveler who has done a fast invalidator during their trip and reached their watan or the place where they want to stay for ten days before ẓuhr;
2. A traveler who arrives at their watan or a place where they want to stay for ten days after ẓuhr;
3. A patient who breaks his fast and recovers before ẓuhr;
4. A patient who recovers after ẓuhr;
5. A woman who is free from menstruation or childbirth bleeding during the day;
6. An infidel who becomes a Muslim on the day of Ramadan;
7. A child who matures on the day of Ramadan.
- I‘tikāf
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