Fath al-Rabbani

Benefits: … See Hadith number (3840), where a comprehensive discussion has been presented regarding the concession (rukhsa) of fasting at this point; from this, the meaning of the aforementioned hadith will become clear. Another example is as follows: It is narrated from Sayyiduna Jabir bin Abdullah radi Allahu anhu that the Noble Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam set out towards Makkah Mukarramah in the month of Ramadan in the year of the conquest of Makkah. He sallallahu alayhi wa sallam was also fasting, and so were the people. When he sallallahu alayhi wa sallam reached the place of Kura‘ al-Ghamim, he sallallahu alayhi wa sallam was informed that the people were experiencing great hardship due to fasting. So he sallallahu alayhi wa sallam called for a cup of water, raised it high so that the people could see, and then he sallallahu alayhi wa sallam drank it. This was after the time of ‘Asr. However, when he sallallahu alayhi wa sallam was informed that some people were still fasting, he sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: ((Those are the disobedient ones, those are the disobedient ones.)) … These people are disobedient, these people are disobedient. (Sahih Muslim: 1878) In this blessed hadith, the meaning of the aforementioned hadith has been clarified: when, by not acting upon a concession (rukhsa), a person unnecessarily puts himself into hardship, or there is a risk of harm, then in such a situation, acting upon the concession becomes necessary, and this is the action that Allah Ta‘ala prefers. If someone, even in a time of dire need, remains hesitant regarding the concession, then he is disobedient. By way of example, a few concessions are listed below:

The concession of tayammum (dry ablution), the concession of wiping over leather socks or regular socks, the concession of performing prayer by gesture, the concession of performing obligatory prayer while sitting, the concession of combining prayers during rain or travel, the concession of not going to the mosque during rain, the concession for a wealthy sick person that he does not go for Hajj himself but sends someone else, the specific concessions in fasting and prayer due to travel and illness, the concession of eating prohibited things in extreme necessity, etc. In reality, concessions are the beauty of Islam.

Among us, some people look at those who act upon concessions with a strange gaze; in fact, in their view, it seems as if they are committing a crime. This is, in reality, a misunderstanding on their part. Shari‘ah is not the name of anyone’s understanding, but rather it is the name of the guidance of Allah and His Messenger. If in residence (hadr) the Zuhr prayer is ten rak‘ahs, then in travel it is only two, even though performing ten rak‘ahs during travel is not a burden on the soul, but this is the decision of the Shari‘ah; we have no choice in the matter. How beautifully Imam Zuhri rahimahullah said: “Upon Allah is clarification, upon the Messenger is conveying, and upon us is submission.”

Types of Concession (Rukhsa):

A: Declaring something prohibited as permissible in a time of necessity, such as eating carrion or drinking blood out of compulsion to save one’s life.

B: Granting concession to temporarily abandon an obligation, such as the concession for a traveler or a sick person to not fast in Ramadan.

C: Permitting certain commercial transactions outside the general principles and rules, such as bay‘ salam, in which the actual item is not present.

Ruling on Concession: The original ruling of a concession is that it is permissible (mubah), because its main purpose is to remove hardship from people, such as the concession for a traveler or a sick person to not fast in Ramadan.

Sometimes, acting upon resolve (azimah) is better than acting upon concession, such as when, under compulsion of being killed, uttering a word of disbelief is permissible, but remaining steadfast upon the truth is better.

Sometimes, acting upon the concession becomes obligatory, such as eating prohibited things to ward off the danger of death due to hunger.

Because saving life is necessary and obligatory, as is stated in the Noble Qur’an: {لا تلقوا بایدیکم الی التہلکۃ} (al-Baqarah) “Do not throw yourselves into destruction.”