Ramadan Days: Rules of Conduct

“O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you, as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become righteous.” (Al-Baqara 2: 184).

In Islam, the fasting of the holy month of Ramadan has been ordained for the believers to completely adhere themselves to God Almighty and to revive each parcel of faith, love, kindness and humanity which resides in the profoundness of their selves. Ramadan comes as a motivator, a catalyst for the steadfast servant of God, to propel him to follow the divine commandments and change his life and habits to reflect that of a true Muslim.

If God Almighty has ordained fasting for all humanity and for all faiths since the dawn of time, it is most certainly for their own benefit. In Islam, God has perfected the practice of fasting and established it for an obligatory one month period to incite all healthy Muslim believers to leave behind all negativities of their lives and to start afresh, giving them the necessary guidelines through the Holy Quran and the Sunnah (practices of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)).

FASTING & TRAVELLING

Allah says in the Holy Quran: “(Fasting is) for a fixed number of days; but if any of you is ill, or on a journey, the prescribed number (should be made up) from days later. For those who can do it (with hardship), is a ransom, the feeding of one that is indigent. But he that will give more, of his own free will,- it is better for him. And it is better for you that you fast, if you only knew.” (Al-Baqara 2: 185).

Indeed our Almighty Allah has our goodwill in mind. For the travellers such as for someone taking a short or long flight [or travelling long distances by train etc.], they have the option to pay the Fidya if they are not able to fast, due to their health problems and the inconvenience that travel may bring. But, if they feel completely able (completely healthy) to fast even in these situations, they may fast.

Now what do we understand by ‘FIDYA’? It is a religious obligation for every Muslim who has reached puberty and is unable to fast for the required number of days and who is also unable to make up for the missed fast.

The Fidya or compensation for missed fasts is important for people who for very valid reasons cannot observe the fasting of Ramadan. It represents the value of the same type of meal you consume. For example, for each day of fasting missed, an equivalent of Rs. 100 (Mauritian rupees) – or the value of meals for a day (at least 2 meals a day) – should be given to the poor. The latter will then be able to buy adequate food to observe the fast.

Do not confuse Fidya and Fitra. The Fitra is a one-time payment – for one day only – that you make and that is based on the same value and quality of food that you consume. The Fitra is payable only once on each head. It is obligatory for everyone, even for the baby who has just been born. It is even obligatory for this poor Muslim believer who is fasting. You fast or not (even if you are travelling, sick, students, pregnant women, etc.), the Fitra is mandatory. It is not the same as Fidya which represents compensation for the missed day/s of fasting.

If, however, after Ramadan, the sick person or the traveller regains his health and believes that he will be able to observe the fast, he must be encouraged to do so. A student – who has reached the age of puberty – who is under the obligation to miss fasting due to strict guidelines by school and camp (e.g. scouts) rules also falls under this category, because he is forced to do so. He should therefore replace the missed fasts after the Eid-ul-Fitr to compensate for the missed Ramadan fasts. If his parents has the means, they can pay Fidya also for his missed fasts and encourage him also to replace the missed fasts. The Fidya paid for the missed fast will be then counted as an additional reward from Allah the Exalted.

As for pregnant and breastfeeding mothers, they should not fast because they have a baby who depend on them for their food and good health. They must not fast and to compensate for the missing fasts, they must pay the Fidya for the missed days.

For women who are menstruating, they must replace the missed fasts after Eid-ul-Fitr, or if they cannot replace those fasts, it is better for them to pay the Fidya for the missed days.

As for the travellers, unlike the sick persons and those who are forced to miss fasting, they can both fast and pay the Fidya also (they do a little extra to please Allah), and/ or they may fast until they no longer can fast and they break their fast, and they also pay the Fidya.

But now, concerning drivers or pilots [or seamen etc.] who make long trips in normal times and which represents their actual daily occupation; in other words, whether during Ramadan or in normal times, they must make these trips, as this is their livelihood, so it is obligatory for them to fast. This is not like a temporary journey you make and which shall end in a few days. This is their profession. So they have to fast.

Now if it happens that a person who is quite hale and healthy but who misses the fast of Ramadan for a day or several days only because of his laziness, then this is a very serious matter. He must not think that Fidya will get him out of this situation. It will not compensate his deliberate missing fasts. This is not correct. It’s not true !

Remember, if someone loses a fast in the month of Ramadan, even though Allah has granted him the permission to replace that fast after the Ramadan, but a fast in Ramadan is way much better than another fast in another month.

It has been narrated that Hamza bin ‘Amr (ra) said: “I asked the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) about fasting while travelling. He said: “If you wish to fast then fast, and if you wish not to fast then do not fast.” (An-Nasai, Tirmidhi).

Anas bin Malik (ra) narrates: “We used to travel with the Prophet (pbuh) and neither did the fasting persons criticize those who were not fasting, nor did those who were not fasting criticize the fasting ones.” (Bukhari).

It has been narrated that Ibn ‘Abbas (ra) said: “The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) fasted while he was travelling, and he broke his fast.” (Ibn Majah).

So, ONLY those who are able to fast (they feel that they have the capacity to fast) in travel situations, they fast. And those who successfully completes their fast (among the travellers), there is no Fidya for them, but if they do not complete their fast, they pay the Fidya and there is no need for them to replace that fast (because they have paid the compensation for the missed fast/s). But Allah says to fast is best, and Allah encourages those who are healthy and able to fast to get double reward by fasting and also by giving away Fidya for these are blessed deeds in the noble month of Ramadan.

---Extracts from the Friday Sermon of 24 May 2019~18 Ramadan 1440 AH delivered by Imam-Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam International Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Saheb (atba) of Mauritius.