Volume - VIII / CHAPTER - 1 / LESSON NO: 23 / PAGE 1of 2
CONDITIONS IN WHICH ONE CAN FORGO FASTING
Q15: What injunction is there for the one who collapses because of hunger and thirst?
A. If a fasting man collapses due to hunger and thirst and his life or the senses are in peril, in such case he can break his fast before time. No Kaffaarah will be due but he will have to observe Qada fast.
Q16: Can a fasting man break his fast before time or not under duress?
A. A fasting man can break his fast before time under duress. For example, he is threatened with death or amputation of any limb of the body or severe beating and he is sure that the threateners will do what they say if he does not break the fast, in such situation he must break his fast before time. If he does not and is killed by the threateners then he will be sinner, for, in such dire situations breaking fast before time even (God forbid!) drinking wine or blood and eating carrion or pork is as much permissible as these things are "Mubaah" (permissible) for the one who faces the pangs of hunger and is under compulsion. However, this injunction applies to only travelers and the sick who observed fast despite the leave (granted to them by the Shari'ah in this regard) and are now faced with duress.
Q17: What injunction is there for a "Muqeem" fasting man who is under duress?
A. If a fasting man who is "Muqeem" (resident) or healthy, is forced to break his fast before time can break fast if he wills. However, it is better for him not to break his fast and face torture with patience. If dies in this condition, he will be greatly rewarded in the hereafter.
Q18: Can a fasting man break his fast or not if stung by a snake?
A. If a snake stings a fasting man endangering his life he can break his fast before time.
Q19: Is Qada compulsory or not for those who break their fast before time due to some valid excuse?
A. It is compulsory for those who broke their fasts before time due to Shar'ee reason (valid excuse) to observe Qada fasts.
Q20: Should Qada fasts be observed serially or not?
A. It is not compulsory to observe Qada fasts serially. If one observes Nafil fasts before Qada fasts those will be deemed to have been observed. But the injunction to this effect is that Qada fasts should be observed soon after the excuse (the disability because of which the fasts were forgone,omitted) is over and before the coming of next Ramadaan. There is in a Hadees that fasts of one of the current Ramadaan will not be accepted who owes Qada (fasts) of the previous Ramadaan.
However, if one could not observe Qada and in the meanwhile second Ramadaan approached then he should observe fasts of this Ramadaan and observe Qada fasts later.
Q21: What injunction is there for the sick who recovered after paying Fidyah?
A. If a sick man paid Fidyah for his fasts and later he recovered being able to observe fasts then he must observe Qada and the Fidyah paid by him will be counted in "Sadaqa-e-Nafil" (supererogatory worship) and he will earn reward thereof.
Q22: Can posterity observe fasts of their parents?
A. Nobody can fast on behalf of someone else.
Q23: What is the quantity of Fidyah?
A. "Fidyah" which is due to "Shaikh-e-Faanee" for each fast is that he should give commodity,cash equal to "Sadaqatul Fitr" or feed an indigent with two meals.
Q24: How and when should Fidyah be paid?
A. It is optional for one to pay Fidyah of the full month of Ramadaan at the beginning of Ramadaan or in the end of Ramadaan. "Tamleek-e-Faqeer" is also no condition in this regard. Feeding an indigent with two meals will suffice for it. It is also not essential to pay Fidyah to as many indigents as the number of fasts but only one indigent can also be paid Fidyah of many fasts.
Q25: What injunction is there for the one who can not observe fasts of atonement because of old age?
A. If a fast of atonement is due to one on account of
violating an oath or in case of unintentional or by mistake murder and he is unable to observe it owing to old age, can not pay Fidyah thereof, for, this fast is an indemnity which can not be recompensed with Fidyah. But in case, he owes Kaffaarah of breaking a
fast before time or "Zehaar" (speaking such words that have the effect of a divorce) can feed sixty indigents with two meals if he can not observe fasts, as this Fidyah is proved by the Holy Quraan for fasts.
Q26: Can one who made "Nazar" to fast daily but could not, forgo fast and pay Fidyah thereof or not?
A. If one makes "Nazar" or "Mannat" (vow) to fast daily and begins observing fasts uninterruptedly, he will find it very difficult to meet essential needs of life like earning livelihood etc. In such situation, it is permissible for him to drop as many fasts as genuinely required for the purpose. But should pay Fidyah of each and every dropped fast. If not possible then do "Istighfaar" (seek forgiveness of Allah).
Q27: What injunction is there for the one who forwent fast(s) due to some valid excuse but did not observe Qada fasts later?
A. If a sick man recovered or a traveller reached his home and also found time enough to observe Qada of the fasts he forwent, in such case it is compulsory on him to observe as many fasts as the time (days) he finds. If he does not fast despite having time and dies (the death draws near) then he should make a will for the payment of Fidyah of these fasts.
Q28: What injunction is there for the one who dies facing valid excuse?
A. If one died facing a valid excuse (under which non-observance of fast is permitted) without finding time enough to observe Qada fasts, in such situation neither Qada nor Fidyah is due. If he made a will for Fidyah, it would be considered valid and would be paid from the one-third portion of his property. If he did not and his heirs paid at their own even then it would be considered valid.
Q29: Is there any condition or not for payment of Fidyah from one-third portion of deceased's property?
A. The condition of paying Fidyah from one-third portion of deceased's property is applicable only when the deceased has his heirs. If there is no heir then all property must be used for paying Fidyah if need be and in case the heir is only wife or hasband (as the case may be) she/he should be paid her/his due after separating l/3rd from the whole property of the deceased and whatever property is saved after paying the due right of the sole heir, can be paid as Fidyah if needed.
Q30: For how many fasts can a will of Fidyah be made?
A. Making a will of Fidyah is due for only those fasts which one could have observed after disability (valid excuse) was removed but he did not. For example, a traveller or a sick man forwent ten fasts and after the disability, valid excuse was removed (i.e. traveller reached his home, the sick recovered) he found five days and then expired. In such situation, a will of only five days will be due.
Q31: Is there any difference in the Fidyah of prayer and of fast or not?
A. The Fidyah of a fast is equal to Sadaqatul Fitr and so is of every "Fard" and "Witr" prayer i.e. half a Sa'a of wheat or one Sa'a of barley or price of any of these commodities.
Q32: To whom should Fidyah be given?
A. The same kind of people are deserving of Fidyah who are entitled to receiving Zakaat i.e. beggar, indigent, poor who must be a Muslim exclusive of Haashimi and one's posterity and parents.
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