www.Salafipubs.com www.Germantownmasjid.com www.MasjidBinBaz.com Copyright © @uwaysT Kevin Onwordi 2021 For Free Distribution Only All Rights Reserved 30 Questions and Answers on Fasting and Ramaḍān1 By ‘Allāmah Abdul-‘Azīz Ibn Bāz Translation and Some Footnotes by 'Abi 'Abdir-Raḥmān Uways Onwordi at-Taweel @uwaysT 1 These question and answers have been extracted from Vol.12 of the Fatāwā of al-Imam ibn Baz (). The 30 questions and answers collection has been distributed independently in Arabic. C O N T E N T S 0 4   0 8 1 0 The Obligation The Ruling on the Ordering of Fasting the One Who is Unable Children to Month of to Fast Due to an Fast Ramaḍān Illness 1 1   1 7 1 9 How is the The Ruling on Acting on the The Ruling on the One Beginning and Use of Machinery Such as Whose Fasting Month End of the Month Observatories to Sight the New Extends to Thirty- One Ascertained? Moon. Days 2 7 2 8 2 1 The Ruling on the Fasting Only The Ruling on the One Who Persistently Twenty-Eight Fast of the Individual Fasts Thirty Days at Days Who Leaves the All Costs Prayer 3 0 3 2 3 4 A Piece of Advice for the The Ruling on Those Fasting When One that Fasts but is Who Break Their Fast in Traveling Negligent Regarding the Daytime of Ramaḍān the Prayer With No Valid Excuse 3 7 4 0 4 2 10 Rulings That May Menstruation Fasting and the Ailing have Escaped the and Fasting Elderly Person Fasting Person  The Obligation of Fasting the Month of Ramaḍān 1) Who is obligated to fast in Ramaḍān? What are the virtues of fasting in that month? Fasting in the month of Ramaḍān is obligatory upon every legally responsible adult; males and females. However, it is recommended for a child that has reached the age of seven to fast, if they can do so. The parents must command their children (who have reached the age of seven) to fast as they would the obligatory prayers. The main proof of this is the statement of Allāh: ْ ُ َّ َ َ ْ ُ ْ َ َ َّ َ َ َ ُ َ َ ُ َ ّ ُ ُ ْ َ َ َ ُ ُ َ َ َ َّ َ َُّٔ ٰٓ َ مكلعل مكِلبق نمِ نيلِ ٱ 2 بِتك امك مايصِ لٱ مكيلع بِتك اونماء نيلِ ٱ اهياـي 2َ َ وَ ۚ رَ خَ ُٔا اٍ اَّئَا نْ مِّ ٌةدَّ ِعَف رٍۢ فَ سَ 2َٰ َ ؤَْا اضً يِرمَّ مكُ نمِ نَ كَ نمَ فَ ۚ تٍۢ ٰدَ ودُ عْ مَّ امً اَّئَا ٪ نَ وقُ تَّ تَ مْ كُ لَّ يٌ ْ خَ اومُ وصُ َت نَٔاوَ ۚ ۥلَُّ يٌ ْ خَ وَ هُ فَ ايً ْ خَ عَ وَّ طَ تَ نمَ فَ ۖ يٍۢ كِ سْ مِ مُ اعَ طَ ةٌ َيدْ ِف ۥهُ َنوقُ يطِ ُي نَ يلِ َّٱ ىٰ دَ هُْلٱ نَ مِّ تٍۢ ـٰ نَِيّ بَ وَ سِ انَّ لِلّ ىدً هُ نُ اءَ رْ قُ ْلٱ ِهيِف لَِزنُٔا ىٓ لِ َّٱ نَ اضَ مَ رَ رُ هْ شَ ٪ نَ ومُ َلعْ تَ مْ تُ نكُ نإِ ۖ اٍ اَّئَا نْ مِّ ٌةدَّ ِعَف رٍۢ فَ سَ 2َٰ َ ؤَْا اضً يِرمَ نَ كَ نمَ وَ ۖ هُ مْ صُ يَْلَف رَ هْ شَّ لٱ مُ كُ نمِ دَ هِ شَ نمَ فَ ۚ نِ اَقرْ فُ ْلٱوَ َ َٰ َ َ َّ ُ ّ َ ُ َ َ َّ ْ ُ ْ ُ َ َ ْ ُ ْ ُ ُ ُ ُ َ َ َ ْ ُ ْ ُ ُ ُ َّ ُ ُ َ َ ُٔ ام 2 ~ٱ اوبِ كلِ و ةدِعلٱ اولمِ كلِ و سعلٱ مكِب ديِري (cid:131)و سيلٱ مكِب ~ٱ ديِري ۗ رخا َ ُ ُ ْ َ ْ ُ َّ َ َ َ ْ ُ ٰ َ َ نوركشت مكلعلو مك(cid:134)ده O you who believe! Observing As-Saum (the fasting) has been prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, so that you may obtain piety and righteousness. [Observing Saum (fasts)] for a fixed number of days, but if any of you is ill or on a journey, the same number (should be made up) from other days. The month of Ramaḍān in which the Qur'an was revealed, as a guidance for mankind and clear proofs for the guidance and the criterion (between right and wrong). So, whoever from amongst you sights (the crescent on the first night of) the month (of Ramaḍān), he must fast that month, and whoever is ill or on a journey, the same number [of days which one did not fast, must be made up from other days. (Baqarah:183-185) Also, the statement of the Prophet (): "Islam is built upon five pillars: The testimony that there is none that deserves to be worshipped in reality except Allāh and that Muḥammad is the Messenger of Allāh, and the establishment of the prayer, the giving of Zakat (charity), fasting in the Ramaḍān and to perform Ḥajj.”2 Likewise, his statement (): "Islam is to testify that none has the right to be worshipped except Allāh and that Muḥammad () is the Messenger of Allāh; that you observe Ṣalāh (prayers), pay Zakat, fast (the month of) Ramaḍān and perform Ḥajj (pilgrimage) of the House, provided you have resources of making the journey to it."3 In Ṣaḥīḥ Al Bukhārī and Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, on the authority of Abī Hurayrah () that the Prophet () said: "Whoever fasts the month of Ramaḍān out of sincere Faith (i.e. belief) hoping for a reward from Allāh, then all his past sins will be forgiven,”4 2 Agreed upon: Al Bukhārī (8), Muslim (16), reported by 'Abdullāh b.’Umar  3 Muslim: (8), reported by 'Umar b. al-Khaṭāb  4 Al Bukhārī (2014), Muslim (760) It has been reported from him () that Allāh, the Majestic and the Exalted, said: "Every act of the son of Adam is for him except fasting. It is done for My sake, and I will reward for it. He gives up his desires and his food for My sake. Fasting is a shield, and the fasting person has two moments of joy; one when he breaks his fast and another when he meets his Lord. And the smell that comes from the mouth of the fasting person is better to Allāh than the fragrance of musk."5 In conclusion, the narrations regarding the virtues of fasting, in general, are plenty and known and from Allāh is aid and guidance. 2) Who is exempt from fasting in the month of Ramaḍān? Please benefit us, May Allāh reward you with good. Those who are exempt are; the one who has lost his sanity and consciousness, the young boy and girl who have not reached puberty, the menstruating and postpartum woman, the sick, and the traveler. As for the menstruating and postpartum women, then essentially fasting is obligatory. However, their condition prevents them from being allowed to fast. They have to make up the fasting days missed in Ramaḍān after their menses and postnatal period have ended. 5 Agreed upon: Al Bukhārī (1894,1904), Muslim (1151), reported by Abī Hurayrah . Al-Ḥadīth al- Qudsī As for the sick and the traveler, it is permissible for them to fast or break their fast in Ramaḍān. Breaking their fast is recommended. This is based on the statement of Allāh: رَ خَ ُٔا اٍ اَّئَا نْ مِّ ٌةدَّ ِعَف رٍۢ فَ سَ 2َٰ َ ؤَْا اضً يِرمَ نَ كَ نمَ وَ Whoever is ill or on a journey, the same number [of days which one did not fast must be made up from other days. (2:185) However, if the sick person's illness is terminal, after confirmation from trustworthy doctors, then neither fasting is obligatory for him nor is it mandatory to make it up. Instead, it is upon him to feed a poor person for every day he broke his fast. The amount due is two combined prophetic handfuls (approximately 1.087kg). This also applies to the elderly man and woman who are unable to fast. They have to feed a poor person two prophetic handfuls of their normal food for each day they did not fast. Fasting is not upon them nor is making it up after Ramaḍān. It is also permissible for them to pay the compensation in one go, for the whole month. This can be done at the beginning, the end, or during the month. It can be given to one person (every day of the month) or more. As for the pregnant and breastfeeding woman, if they find fasting difficult, they are allowed to break their fast and make it up just like the traveler and the sick.6 6 Abdullāh b. ‘Abbās  said: "If a pregnant woman fears for herself and a breastfeeding woman fears for her baby in (the fasting days of) Ramaḍān, they both should break their fast and feed a poor person for each day they missed". Reported in at-Ṭabarānī (2758) with a chain of narrators of the same calibre as the narrators found in the authentic collection of al-Bukhārī and Muslim. See al-Irwāa al- Ghalīl (4:19). Also refer to Ad-Daraquṭnī (250) The Ruling on the One Who is Unable to Fast Due to an Illness 3) If a woman has an illness and loses her cognizance faculties and thus breaks her fast for seven months of Ramaḍān without feeding the poor, she recovers and can fast (after the seven years), is it permissible for her son to fast on her behalf? Or should she fast even though it could affect her health in the future, as she has a nervous system disease? Is it permissible to feed the poor on her behalf instead? If she has not fasted due to her losing her cognizance faculties, then she does not have to make up any fast. This is because the legislation has exempted her from fasting for the period she lost her sense of cognizance based on the narration of the Prophet (): "The pen has been lifted for three (types of people)…" From those he mentioned () was: "…the one who has lost his mind (is exempt) until he regains his senses.”7 7 At-Tirmidhī (1423), al-Musnad (1/140) and ibn Khuzaymah (1003) So, the one who is devoid of her senses due to any kind of illness is under the same ruling as the one who has lost her mind. She is not accountable for acts of worship. However, if she (the mother) does not fast due to an illness whilst her faculties of thinking are intact and sound, then it is incumbent upon her to make up those fasting days once she has recovered. She does this according to her ability, even if it is done on various days of the week or months. If it is the case that she succumbs to her illness and dies, no compensation needs to be done on her behalf. On the other hand, whilst she is alive, it is impermissible for anyone to fast on her behalf. May Allāh grant us all prosperity and reward you with good for taking care of your mother and her affairs. Ordering Children to Fast 4) Is a boy, who has reached the stage where he has the faculties to elicit meanings, ordered to fast? Is it counted as a fast if he reached puberty during a particular fasting day? As has been mentioned previously in question one, when boys or girls have reached the age of seven and above, they should be ordered to fast, so they can get acquainted and used to fasting. It is upon their parents and guardians to command them to fast just as they ordered them to pray the obligatory prayers. When they reach puberty, it is now obligatory for them to fast. If they reach puberty during the fasting day, they will be rewarded for that day. If a child reaches fifteen years old during a fasting day at the noon prayer (for example), the fast is accepted. The first part of the day is considered a supererogatory fast and the last part counts as an obligatory fast. This is if they had not reached puberty before that. Puberty is ascertained by the growth of pubic hair or if ejaculation occurs through desires. The ruling applies for both the boy and girl except for the female there is a fourth sign of puberty; menstruation.