What is the ruling on fasting while travelling

﷽

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*QUESTIONS ON TRAVELING IN RAMADAAN*

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*QUESTION 4️⃣*

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*Ramadhan Series - Fasting While Travelling*

‘Ā’ishah رضي الله عنها narrated that Ḥamzah ibn ‘Amr alAslamī رضي الله عنه said to the Prophet ﷺ:

 “Should I *fast when travelling?” – and he used to fast frequently – to which* the Prophet ﷺ said:

 If you wish then fast and if you wish then do not fast. 

*• [Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī (no. 1943) and Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim (no. 1121)]* 

Explanation of Shaykh ‘Abdul-‘Azīz ibn Bāz:

This ḥadīth is in regard *to fasting while travelling. The authentic narrations* from the Prophet ﷺ prove that it is permissible and likewise the Qur’ān *establishes that it is allowed to either* fasting or not. In addition, it is an allowance from Allāh ﷺ to not fast as He said:

 “Whoever is ill or on a journey, the same *number [of days should be made up]* from other days.”

Sūrah al-Baqarah (2:184)

Meaning: if he does not fast then he must make up the days. So, *the traveller has the choice between fasting and not fasting except* in cases wherein fasting is difficult for him and causes him hardship. The Sunnah for such a person is to not fast *and it is disliked for him to fast due to what it contains from* hardship. The Prophet ﷺ said: 

“It is not from righteousness to fast while travelling.” 

*• [Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī (no. 1946) and Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim (no. 1115)]* 

Meaning: It is not from complete and perfect righteousness to fast *while travelling or it means that it is not from righteousness to* fast while travelling if it is extremely hot and causes difficulty for the believer.

For this reason, when the Prophet ﷺ saw a man who was being *shaded by the people and they were* crowding around him due to the hardship he was in, the Prophet ﷺ disliked for him to fast, saying to him: 

“It is not from righteousness…” 

 *meaning: it is not from complete and* perfect righteousness to fast while travelling. This is the case if there is hardship and difficulty in it. This is how we combine *between the different authentic narrations.*

• [Explanation of ‘Umdah al-Aḥkām, Dār al-Riyādah (pgs. 246-247)] 

In another wording of this ḥadīth, the Prophet ﷺ said to Ḥamzah ibn *‘Amr al-Aslamī

  “It is an allowance from Allāh. Whoever takes it* has done well and whoever wants to fast *then there is no blame upon him.”* 

*• [Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim (no. 1121)]*

امين

#Ramadan #QA #Traveling

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