بَابُ الصَّوْمِ فِى السَّفَرِ وَغَيْره
Statement about fasting while traveling
الْحَدِيثُ الْأَوَّلُ: عَنْ عَائِشَةَ – رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهَا – أَنَّ حَمْزَةَ بْنَ عَمْرٍو الْأَسْلَمِيَّ قَالَ لِلنَّبِيِّ – صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ -: أَأَصُومُ فِي السَّفَرِ؟ – وَكَانَ كَثِيرَ الصِّيَامِ – فَقَالَ: إنْ شِئْتَ فَصُمْ وَإِنْ شِئْتَ فَأَفْطِرْ .
Sayyida Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates that Hamza bin Umar Wasalmi (may Allah be pleased with him) was a person who frequently fasted. He asked the Prophet (peace be upon him), “Should I fast while traveling?” The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “If you wish, then fast, and if you wish, then do not fast.”
صحيح البخاري ، كتاب الصوم، باب الصوم فى السفر والافطار ، ح: 1943 . صحيح مسلم ، كتاب الصيام، باب التخيير فى الصوم والفطر فى السفر. . . ، ح: 1121
Explanation of terms:
كثير الصيام: Meaning, he used to fast frequently on ordinary days besides Ramadan.
افطر: “Not fasting” means to break the fast. / Singular masculine present imperative verb, known form, verb form II.
Explanation of the Hadith:
In another narration, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:
هِيَ رُحْصَةٌ مِنَ اللَّهِ ، فَمَنْ أَخَذَ بِهَا ، فَحَسُنَ ، وَمَنْ أَحَبَّ أَنْ يَصُوْمَ ، فَلا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْهِ .
“This is a concession from Allah, so whoever wishes to accept it, it is good, and whoever wishes to fast, there is no sin upon him.”
Narrator of the Hadith:
The introduction of Sayyida Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) has already been mentioned under Hadith number 9. The other name mentioned in the hadith is Hamza bin Amr Wasalmi. His kunya was Abu Salih, and he was a resident of Madinah. He narrated nine hadiths from the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and passed away in 61 AH.
الْحَدِيثُ الثَّانِي: عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ – رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ – قَالَ: كُنَّا نُسَافِرُ مَعَ النَّبِيِّ – صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ – فَلَمْ يَعِبْ الصَّائِمُ عَلَى الْمُفْطِرِ. وَلَا الْمُفْطِرُ عَلَى الصَّائِمِ .
Sayyiduna Anas bin Malik رضي الله عنه narrates that we used to travel with the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم, and neither did any fasting person criticize someone who was not fasting, nor did anyone who was not fasting criticize a fasting person.
صحيح البخارى ، كتاب الصوم ، باب من لم يعب أصحاب النبى الله بعضهم بعضاً فى الصوم والافطار ، ح: 1947 – صحيح مسلم ، كتاب الصيام ، باب جواز الصوم والفطر فى شهر ر مضان للمسافر ، ح: 1118
Explanation of Vocabulary:
لم يَعِبُ: Did not consider bad or defective. / Singular masculine absent, negative verb of denial, known, form ضَرَبَ يَضْرِبُ
Explanation of the Hadith:
Since there is permission regarding fasting during travel, none of the Companions رضي الله عنهم considered fasting or not fasting during travel as blameworthy. That is, no one considered another as abandoning Sunnah or opposing Sunnah. This hadith also refutes those who consider fasting during travel invalid, because from the statement of Anas رضي الله عنه that no fasting person criticized a non-fasting person and vice versa, it is proven that the Companions رضي الله عنهم were aware of the concession of not fasting during travel. However, their fasting despite this shows that fasting during travel is not invalid.
الْحَدِيثُ الثَّالِثُ: عَنْ أَبِي الدَّرْدَاءِ – رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ – قَالَ: خَرَجْنَا مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ – صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ – فِي شَهْرِ رَمَضَانَ. فِي حَرٍّ شَدِيدٍ، حَتَّى إنْ كَانَ أَحَدُنَا لَيَضَعُ يَدَهُ عَلَى رَأْسِهِ مِنْ شِدَّةِ الْحَرِّ. وَمَا فِينَا صَائِمٌ إلَّا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ – صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ – وَعَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ رَوَاحَةَ .
Sayyiduna Abu Darda رضي الله عنه narrates that we set out with the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم during the month of Ramadan in intense heat. The heat was so severe that a person would place his hand over his head to protect himself from it, and among us, except for the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم and Abdullah ibn Rawahah رضي الله عنه, no one was fasting.
صحيح البخاري ، كتاب الصوم ، باب اذا صام أيام من ر مضان ثم سافر ، ح: 1945 ـ صحيح مسلم ، كتاب الصيام ، باب جواز الصوم والفطر فى شهر ر مضان للمسافر ، ح: 1122
Explanation of Vocabulary:
شدة الحر: Intensity of heat, scorching heat.
Explanation of the Hadith: The indication of this hadith is also clear that it is permissible not to fast while traveling, and there is no sin in fasting either. As the Prophet Muhammad صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم and Abdullah ibn Rawahah رضي الله عنه were fasting, and the other companions were not fasting. However, this applies only when a person can endure it, even if it is difficult, but if one cannot endure it, then it is not correct, as clarified in the next hadith of a similar nature.
Narrator of the Hadith:
Abu Darda was your kunya and his name was Uwaimir. He was an Ansari companion. He accepted Islam on the day of Badr and was the last among his family to accept Islam. The Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم established brotherhood (Mu’akhah) between him and Salman رضي الله عنه. He was a jurist, physician, and a memorizer of the Quran. During the caliphate of Uthman, he served as a judge in Damascus. He is the narrator of one hundred hadiths. He passed away in 31 AH in Syria, and Damascus is his burial place.
الْحَدِيثُ الرَّابِعُ: عَنْ جَابِرِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ – رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمَا – قَالَ: كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ – صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ – فِي سَفَرٍ. فَرَأَى زِحَامًا وَرَجُلًا قَدْ ظُلِّلَ عَلَيْهِ، فَقَالَ: مَا هَذَا؟ قَالُوا: صَائِمٌ. قَالَ: لَيْسَ مِنْ الْبِرِّ الصِّيَامُ فِي السَّفَرِ .
Sayyiduna Jabir bin Abdullah رضي الله عنه narrates that the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم was traveling when he saw a crowd. There was a man who was shaded by others. The Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم asked: “What is this?” The people said: “A fasting person.” The Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said: “Fasting while traveling is not a good deed.” In the words of Muslim: “The leave that Allah has given you, it is obligatory upon you to accept it.”
صحيح البخاري ، كتاب الصوم ، باب قول النبى لمن ظلل عليه ، ح: 1946- صحيح مسلم ، كتاب الصيام ، باب جواز الصوم والفطر فى شهر ر مضان للمسافر ، ح: 1115
Explanation of Vocabulary:
زحام: Crowd, gathering, throng.
قَدْ ظُلِّلَ: Meaning people were standing as shade over him. / Singular masculine past passive verb, form II.
Explanation of the Hadith: Islam has provided various concessions for its followers to fulfill all obligations and duties because Islam is a religion of ease and does not burden anyone beyond their capacity. Therefore, one should act upon the concessions given by Allah, because putting oneself into hardship unnecessarily is not a virtue according to the Prophet’s command. However, the Prophet’s statement that fasting while traveling is not considered a good deed applies to a person who, despite not having the strength to fast, does not act upon the concession given by Allah and fasts, thereby putting themselves into hardship.
الْحَدِيثُ الْخَامِسُ: عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ { كُنَّا مَعَ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فِي السَّفَرِ فَمِنَّا الصَّائِمُ ، وَمِنَّا الْمُفْطِرُ قَالَ: فَنَزَلْنَا مَنْزِلًا فِي يَوْمٍ حَارٍّ ، وَأَكْثَرُنَا ظِلًّا: صَاحِبُ الْكِسَاءِ . وَمِنَّا مَنْ يَتَّقِي الشَّمْسَ بِيَدِهِ . قَالَ: فَسَقَطَ الصُّوَّامُ ، وَقَامَ الْمُفْطِرُونَ فَضَرَبُوا الْأَبْنِيَةَ . وَسَقَوْا الرِّكَابَ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: ذَهَبَ الْمُفْطِرُونَ الْيَوْمَ بِالْأَجْرِ . }
Sayyiduna Anas bin Malik رضي الله عنه narrates that we were traveling with the Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم and some of us were fasting while others were not. We camped at a place during intense heat. The person who had the most shade was the one who had a sheet, and many others were shading themselves with their hands from the sun. The narrator says: The fasting people fell down (rested) as soon as we stopped, and those who were not fasting stood up, pitched tents, and gave water to the riding animals. The Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said: “Today, those who did not fast have increased in reward.”
(189) Sahih al-Bukhari, Book of Jihad, Chapter on the Virtue of Serving in Battle, Hadith: 2890 – Sahih Muslim, Book of Fasting, Chapter on the Reward of the One Who Breaks Fast While Traveling, Hadith: 1119.
Explanation of Vocabulary:
الكساء: A sheet to cover.
الأبنية: Tents, temporary dwellings.
الرّكَابُ: Riding animals, meaning camels.
Explanation of the Hadith:
Imam Qurtubi رحمه الله says that due to the necessity of the time, those who proved to be more useful gained precedence in reward and merit.
