سُوْرَةُ البَقَرَةِ
Surah Al-Baqara (2) — Ayah 184
أَيَّامًا مَّعْدُودَٰتٍ ۚ فَمَن كَانَ مِنكُم مَّرِيضًا أَوْ عَلَىٰ سَفَرٍ فَعِدَّةٌ مِّنْ أَيَّامٍ أُخَرَ ۚ وَعَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ يُطِيقُونَهُۥ فِدْيَةٌ طَعَامُ مِسْكِينٍ ۖ فَمَن تَطَوَّعَ خَيْرًا فَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَّهُۥ ۚ وَأَن تَصُومُوا۟ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ ۖ إِن كُنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ ﴿184﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
[Observing Saum (fasts)] for a fixed number of days, but if any of you is ill or on a journey, the same number (should be made up) from other days. And as for those who can fast with difficulty, (e.g. an old man), they have (a choice either to fast or) to feed a Miskîn (poor person) (for every day). But whoever does good of his own accord, it is better for him. And that you fast is better for you if only you know.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
أَيَّامًۭا
ayyāman
(Fasting for) days
مَّعْدُودَٰتٍۢ ۚ
maʿdūdātin
numbered
فَمَن
faman
So whoever
كَانَ
kāna
is
مِنكُم
minkum
among you
مَّرِيضًا
marīḍan
sick
أَوْ
aw
or
عَلَىٰ
ʿalā
on
سَفَرٍۢ
safarin
a journey
فَعِدَّةٌۭ
faʿiddatun
then a prescribed number
مِّنْ
min
of
أَيَّامٍ
ayyāmin
days
أُخَرَ ۚ
ukhara
other
وَعَلَى
waʿalā
And on
ٱلَّذِينَ
alladhīna
those who
يُطِيقُونَهُۥ
yuṭīqūnahu
can afford it
فِدْيَةٌۭ
fid'yatun
a ransom
طَعَامُ
ṭaʿāmu
(of) feeding
مِسْكِينٍۢ ۖ
mis'kīnin
a poor
فَمَن
faman
And whoever
تَطَوَّعَ
taṭawwaʿa
volunteers
خَيْرًۭا
khayran
good
فَهُوَ
fahuwa
then it
خَيْرٌۭ
khayrun
(is) better
لَّهُۥ ۚ
lahu
for him
وَأَن
wa-an
And to
تَصُومُوا۟
taṣūmū
fast
خَيْرٌۭ
khayrun
(is) better
لَّكُمْ ۖ
lakum
for you
إِن
in
if
كُنتُمْ
kuntum
you
تَعْلَمُونَ
taʿlamūna
know
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim — Hafiz Abdus Salam Bin Muhammad Bhutvi
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim is a 4-volume Quran commentary by Hafiz Abdus Salam bin Muhammad Bhutvi, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar and Sheikh ul-Hadith from Pakistan. Based on over 45 years of teaching and research, this tafsir follows the methodology of Tafsir bil-Ma'thur — interpreting the Quran through authentic Hadith, statements of the Companions, and the understanding of the early generations (Salaf). It is distinguished by its complete avoidance of Israeliyyat (Judeo-Christian narratives) and unverified reports. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
The tafsir of this verse may be read with the following verses.
Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan — Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf
Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan is a well-known Quran commentary by Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. This tafsir explains the meanings of the Quran in accordance with the methodology of the Salaf (early righteous generations), relying on authentic sources and straightforward language. Due to its reliability and adherence to sound Islamic scholarship, the Saudi government publishes and distributes this tafsir among the Hujjaj (pilgrims) visiting the Haramain. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
184. 1. This concession has been given to the sick and the traveler that, due to illness or travel, however many fasts of Ramadan they are unable to keep, they may complete the count later by fasting afterwards.
184. 2. The translation of يُطِيقُونَهُ is "yatajashshamoonahu" (those who can fast only with great difficulty). That is, a person who, due to old age or illness from which there is no hope of recovery, feels hardship in fasting, should give food to a needy person as fidya (compensation). However, most commentators have translated it as "those who have the ability," which means that, in the beginning of Islam, due to not being accustomed to fasting, even those who had the ability were given the concession that if they did not fast, they could give food to a needy person in exchange. But later, through (فَمَنْ شَهِدَ مِنْكُمُ الشَّهْرَ فَلْيَصُمْهُ) 2:185, this was abrogated and fasting was made obligatory for every able person. However, for the very elderly or chronically ill, the ruling remains that they should give fidya. Nursing women, if they feel hardship, will be considered under the ruling for the sick, meaning they should not fast and later make up the missed fasts.
184. 3. Whoever, voluntarily, feeds two or three needy persons instead of just one, it is better for him.
184. 2. The translation of يُطِيقُونَهُ is "yatajashshamoonahu" (those who can fast only with great difficulty). That is, a person who, due to old age or illness from which there is no hope of recovery, feels hardship in fasting, should give food to a needy person as fidya (compensation). However, most commentators have translated it as "those who have the ability," which means that, in the beginning of Islam, due to not being accustomed to fasting, even those who had the ability were given the concession that if they did not fast, they could give food to a needy person in exchange. But later, through (فَمَنْ شَهِدَ مِنْكُمُ الشَّهْرَ فَلْيَصُمْهُ) 2:185, this was abrogated and fasting was made obligatory for every able person. However, for the very elderly or chronically ill, the ruling remains that they should give fidya. Nursing women, if they feel hardship, will be considered under the ruling for the sick, meaning they should not fast and later make up the missed fasts.
184. 3. Whoever, voluntarily, feeds two or three needy persons instead of just one, it is better for him.
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran — Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran (Facilitation of the Quran) is a comprehensive Quran commentary by Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. Known for his eloquent and accessible writing style, Kilani authored this tafsir with a focus on clarity — making Quranic meanings understandable to the common reader. The tafsir provides detailed historical context for verses related to battles and expeditions, and firmly refutes modernist ideologies using strong scriptural evidence. It is widely regarded as an invaluable resource for understanding the Quran and countering deviant interpretations. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
184. (These fasts are for) a fixed number [230] of days. But if any of you is ill or on a journey, then (he should fast) an equal number of other days. And for those who are able to fast [233] but do not, the compensation is to feed a needy person. But whoever does more good of his own accord [234] (by giving more in charity), it is better for him. And if you fast, it is better for you, if only you knew [235].
[230]
The Variation in the Number of Ramadan Days:
That is, twenty-nine or thirty days, which is the minimum or maximum duration of a lunar month. The Shariah has not made the determination of the lunar month dependent on astronomical knowledge or instruments for sighting, but has based it on the sighting of the crescent, meaning that you should begin fasting by sighting the moon and end fasting by sighting the (Shawwal) moon. Now, the sighting of the crescent can occur at different times and on different dates in different countries, and it is also quite possible that among those traveling between different countries during the month of Ramadan, someone’s number of fasts may remain 28 and someone else’s may become 31. In such a case, the person whose fasts are 28 will make up one fast later, and the one whose fasts are 31 will leave one fast, or he may keep it as a voluntary fast.
[231]
The Fast of the Sick and the Meaning of Ease in Religion:
Apart from the sick, this concession is also for women in menstruation or postnatal bleeding, and a nursing woman can also benefit from this concession. However, if there is an illness that is chronic and there is little hope of recovery, then in such a case, Fidyah (compensation) can be given. Similarly, if a person has become old and weak, and no longer has the strength to fast, he can also give Fidyah (compensation), and this expiation is the food of a poor person for two meals, whether he provides for someone's fast and provides iftar, or pays the equivalent cash value, and the cash value will be determined according to the standard of what he himself eats. Similarly, an elderly person can also pay the expiation for the whole month at once. Likewise, an old person’s own estimation that he is no longer able to fast is also dependent on his own discretion, and whatever is done in this regard should be done with fear of Allah.
The Prohibition of Hardship in Religion:
Just as breaking the fast due to increased hardship during travel is Sunnah, similarly, if a sick person estimates about himself that he can manage the fast, but the hardship increases, then he should immediately break the fast and make it up later. In fact, some jurists say that if a patient does not break the fast even in severe illness and dies, then he dies a suicidal death and instead of attaining the reward of fasting, he becomes guilty of wasting his own life, and the following hadith is the evidence for this, which is narrated in Abu Dawood from Hazrat Jabirؓ:
The Command to Break the Fast if There is Hardship Due to Fasting in Travel or Illness:
He says that we set out on a journey. One of us was struck on the head by a stone, which badly wounded his head. Coincidentally, that person had a wet dream, so he asked his companions, “Do you consider it permissible for me to avail the concession of tayammum?” They said, “No, because water is available.” So that man performed ghusl and died as a result. When we came to the Messenger of Allahﷺ and related this incident to him, he said: “May Allah destroy those people, they killed their companion. Why did they not ask someone knowledgeable when they did not know the matter? The cure for ignorance is to ask. It would have been sufficient for him to bandage his wound, perform tayammum over it, and wash the rest of his body.”
[232] It is permissible to fast while traveling and also permissible to leave it, and this should be determined by considering the physical strength of the fasting person and the hardship of the journey. However, it is better to leave the fast during travel, in fact, if one has kept the fast and then feels severe hardship, he should break the fast and make it up later. Thus, during the expedition of Makkah, which took place in Ramadan, the Prophetﷺ and the Companionsؓ were fasting and were becoming exhausted, but were not inclined to break the fast. So the Messenger of Allahﷺ, at the time of Asr, drank a bowl of water in front of everyone and broke his fast, the purpose of which was that the Companionsؓ should also break their fast. Thus, the Companions, may Allah be pleased with them all, also broke their fast. [بخاري، كتاب الصوم باب الصوم فى السفر والافطار]
Also, it is narrated from Jabir bin Abdullah Ansariؓ that the Messenger of Allahﷺ was on a journey (the expedition of the conquest of Makkah), and he saw a crowd at one place and found out that people were shading a man (Qais Amiri). The Prophetﷺ asked, “What is this?” The people said, “He is fasting.” The Prophet said, “Fasting while traveling is not a virtuous act.” [بخاري: كتاب الصوم، باب قول النبى لمن ظلل عليه واشتد الحر۔۔۔ ]
[233] There are two different opinions in the interpretation of this verse. The first is that the meaning of ﴿يُطِيْقُوْنَهُ﴾ is “those who are not able to fast.” (Lughat Dhawi al-Addad) So its meaning will be that those who are afflicted with an incurable disease or there is no hope of recovery from the illness, or have become so old that there is no hope of regaining strength later, such people can give fidya instead of fasting, and this situation still remains. The second opinion is that in the beginning, Muslims were given the concession that if they wished, they could fast, and if they wished, they could give fidya, as some people were not inclined to such self-restraint, but later this concession was abrogated by
﴿ فَمَنْ شَهِدَ مِنْكُمُ الشَّهْرَ فَلْيَصُمْه﴾
and the hadith supports this second opinion. Thus, Hazrat Salamah bin Akwa’ narrates that when this verse was revealed, whoever wished would not fast and would give fidya, until after that
﴿ فَمَنْ شَهِدَ مِنْكُمُ الشَّهْرَ فَلْيَصُمْهُ﴾
was revealed and it abrogated it. [بخاري، كتاب التفسير زير آيت مذكوره]
[234] This can have two meanings: one is that he gives more than the specified amount of charity, the second is that he both fasts and gives fidya.
[235] That is, if you knew the reward of fasting, you would consider fasting better, and regarding the reward of fasting, Allah Almighty says, “Fasting is for Me and I alone will reward it. The fasting person leaves his food, drink, and desires for My sake.” Also, the Messenger of Allahﷺ said: “Fasting is a shield (for protection from sins).” Also, heﷺ said: “There are two joys for the fasting person: one at the time of breaking the fast and the other when he meets his Lord.” Also, heﷺ said: “The smell from the mouth of a fasting person is purer (more excellent) with Allah than the fragrance of musk.” [بخاري كتاب التوحيد باب قول الله يريدون ان يبدلوا كلام الله]
[230]
The Variation in the Number of Ramadan Days:
That is, twenty-nine or thirty days, which is the minimum or maximum duration of a lunar month. The Shariah has not made the determination of the lunar month dependent on astronomical knowledge or instruments for sighting, but has based it on the sighting of the crescent, meaning that you should begin fasting by sighting the moon and end fasting by sighting the (Shawwal) moon. Now, the sighting of the crescent can occur at different times and on different dates in different countries, and it is also quite possible that among those traveling between different countries during the month of Ramadan, someone’s number of fasts may remain 28 and someone else’s may become 31. In such a case, the person whose fasts are 28 will make up one fast later, and the one whose fasts are 31 will leave one fast, or he may keep it as a voluntary fast.
[231]
The Fast of the Sick and the Meaning of Ease in Religion:
Apart from the sick, this concession is also for women in menstruation or postnatal bleeding, and a nursing woman can also benefit from this concession. However, if there is an illness that is chronic and there is little hope of recovery, then in such a case, Fidyah (compensation) can be given. Similarly, if a person has become old and weak, and no longer has the strength to fast, he can also give Fidyah (compensation), and this expiation is the food of a poor person for two meals, whether he provides for someone's fast and provides iftar, or pays the equivalent cash value, and the cash value will be determined according to the standard of what he himself eats. Similarly, an elderly person can also pay the expiation for the whole month at once. Likewise, an old person’s own estimation that he is no longer able to fast is also dependent on his own discretion, and whatever is done in this regard should be done with fear of Allah.
The Prohibition of Hardship in Religion:
Just as breaking the fast due to increased hardship during travel is Sunnah, similarly, if a sick person estimates about himself that he can manage the fast, but the hardship increases, then he should immediately break the fast and make it up later. In fact, some jurists say that if a patient does not break the fast even in severe illness and dies, then he dies a suicidal death and instead of attaining the reward of fasting, he becomes guilty of wasting his own life, and the following hadith is the evidence for this, which is narrated in Abu Dawood from Hazrat Jabirؓ:
The Command to Break the Fast if There is Hardship Due to Fasting in Travel or Illness:
He says that we set out on a journey. One of us was struck on the head by a stone, which badly wounded his head. Coincidentally, that person had a wet dream, so he asked his companions, “Do you consider it permissible for me to avail the concession of tayammum?” They said, “No, because water is available.” So that man performed ghusl and died as a result. When we came to the Messenger of Allahﷺ and related this incident to him, he said: “May Allah destroy those people, they killed their companion. Why did they not ask someone knowledgeable when they did not know the matter? The cure for ignorance is to ask. It would have been sufficient for him to bandage his wound, perform tayammum over it, and wash the rest of his body.”
[232] It is permissible to fast while traveling and also permissible to leave it, and this should be determined by considering the physical strength of the fasting person and the hardship of the journey. However, it is better to leave the fast during travel, in fact, if one has kept the fast and then feels severe hardship, he should break the fast and make it up later. Thus, during the expedition of Makkah, which took place in Ramadan, the Prophetﷺ and the Companionsؓ were fasting and were becoming exhausted, but were not inclined to break the fast. So the Messenger of Allahﷺ, at the time of Asr, drank a bowl of water in front of everyone and broke his fast, the purpose of which was that the Companionsؓ should also break their fast. Thus, the Companions, may Allah be pleased with them all, also broke their fast. [بخاري، كتاب الصوم باب الصوم فى السفر والافطار]
Also, it is narrated from Jabir bin Abdullah Ansariؓ that the Messenger of Allahﷺ was on a journey (the expedition of the conquest of Makkah), and he saw a crowd at one place and found out that people were shading a man (Qais Amiri). The Prophetﷺ asked, “What is this?” The people said, “He is fasting.” The Prophet said, “Fasting while traveling is not a virtuous act.” [بخاري: كتاب الصوم، باب قول النبى لمن ظلل عليه واشتد الحر۔۔۔ ]
[233] There are two different opinions in the interpretation of this verse. The first is that the meaning of ﴿يُطِيْقُوْنَهُ﴾ is “those who are not able to fast.” (Lughat Dhawi al-Addad) So its meaning will be that those who are afflicted with an incurable disease or there is no hope of recovery from the illness, or have become so old that there is no hope of regaining strength later, such people can give fidya instead of fasting, and this situation still remains. The second opinion is that in the beginning, Muslims were given the concession that if they wished, they could fast, and if they wished, they could give fidya, as some people were not inclined to such self-restraint, but later this concession was abrogated by
﴿ فَمَنْ شَهِدَ مِنْكُمُ الشَّهْرَ فَلْيَصُمْه﴾
and the hadith supports this second opinion. Thus, Hazrat Salamah bin Akwa’ narrates that when this verse was revealed, whoever wished would not fast and would give fidya, until after that
﴿ فَمَنْ شَهِدَ مِنْكُمُ الشَّهْرَ فَلْيَصُمْهُ﴾
was revealed and it abrogated it. [بخاري، كتاب التفسير زير آيت مذكوره]
[234] This can have two meanings: one is that he gives more than the specified amount of charity, the second is that he both fasts and gives fidya.
[235] That is, if you knew the reward of fasting, you would consider fasting better, and regarding the reward of fasting, Allah Almighty says, “Fasting is for Me and I alone will reward it. The fasting person leaves his food, drink, and desires for My sake.” Also, the Messenger of Allahﷺ said: “Fasting is a shield (for protection from sins).” Also, heﷺ said: “There are two joys for the fasting person: one at the time of breaking the fast and the other when he meets his Lord.” Also, heﷺ said: “The smell from the mouth of a fasting person is purer (more excellent) with Allah than the fragrance of musk.” [بخاري كتاب التوحيد باب قول الله يريدون ان يبدلوا كلام الله]
