Can I quit my Ramadan fast because of my illness?
I was wondering if i could get help. I have recently moved from my country to a cold country three months ago i have started to work now to i was fasting for one week ad i had to go to the hospital with pains in my chest the doctor have told me i have to stop fasting as it is 20 hours of fasting where i am now and i just can not manage to eat enough water and everything into my body in four hours. Can i make my fasting up latter or what can i do?
Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullah wa barakatuh,
Dear User,
We congratulate you for your efforts on implementing the orders of Allah (swt) despite the difficulties you are in. May Allah (swt) reward you with the best for your efforts and keep you stronger and healthier on His blessed way.
Dear User,
There are some situations which allow quitting Ramadan fasting. Scholars consider “illness” as one of those situations as long as it provides the following conditions:
“Whoever breaks his fast without an excuse such as illness, travel he can never compensate this broken fast no matter how many days he fasts during his lifetime. (Tirmizi, Nasai, Abu Davud, İbn Maja, İbn Huzayma)
What should a fasting person do if he/she falls ill?
1-If an ill person falls ill and fears that his situation will get worse on condition that he keeps on fasting or his recovery will be delayed or he will face a severe hardship in his life, then according to the scholars (imams) of three schools of thought it is permissible for him to break his/her fast.
According to Hanbali school of thought in such a situation, it would be sunnah for him to break his fast and it would be Makruh (abominable) to keep on fasting.
2-If somebody thinks and afraids that he/she would be destroyed or one of his/her limbs or senses would cease to operate, then it is wajib (obligatory) for him/her to break his fast. For a person in such condition, it is unitedly haram (prohibited) to continue fasting.
What should a healthy person do on condition that he assumes he will face a severe damage in his health if he fasts?
According to Hanafi madhab; if a person assumes that he would be sick with strong conjecture if he fasts (sawm), his breaking his fast would be mubah (1) (neither obligatory nor recommended (neutral). But, continuing his fast is also mubah (neither obligatory nor recommended (neutral)) even he is ill.
According to Shafis; On condition that a person assumes that he would be ill if he fasts, it is not permissible to break his fast, as long as any damage doesn’t occur while he is fasting. He needs to give an attempt to fast in order to determine whether fasting will do any harm or not.
According to Shafis, for a person who faced the harm while fasting, it is wajib (obligatory) to do niyyah while breaking his/her fast. If he quits doing niyyah, this will be a sinful behaviour.
According to Malikis; it is wajib for such a person to break his fast as in the case of ill people.
According to Hanbalis; it is Sunnah for such a person to break his fast as in the case of ill people. And continuing his fast is Makruh (abominable)
Dear User,
In order not to be deprived of the great reward in Ramadan fasting, we recommend you to make your niyyah and fast in the days that you feel good.However, when you make your niyyah for fast, in the case that you feel ill and can’t bear pain, you are allowed to break your fast, but though you will be rewarded for your intention inshallah. After Ramadan, you are required to make up the days that you had to break or quit your fast.
If you have any further question about this issue or any other, please feel free to ask. We are here to assist you as best as we can.
May Allah (swt) forgive all our sins and accept our duas in this blessed month Ramadan al Mubarak.
You can also visit our “Ramadan Kareem Special Page” for further information about Ramadan.
Best Regards!...
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