Fasting with Hardship During Travel – Islamic Ruling
Source: Fatāwā Arkān al-Islām
What is the ruling on a traveler fasting while facing difficulty?
All praise is due to Allah, and may peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah. To proceed:
If fasting during travel causes difficulty that is bearable, then in such a case, fasting is discouraged (makrūh).
In this regard, the Prophet ﷺ saw a man being shaded by others and people gathered around him. The Prophet ﷺ said:
«لَيْسَ مِنَ الْبِرِّ الصَّوْمُ فِي السَّفَرِ»
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 1946, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 1115)
"Fasting during travel is not a righteous act."
However, if fasting during travel causes severe hardship, then it becomes obligatory to break the fast.
An example of this is when, during a journey, the people complained to the Prophet ﷺ about the difficulty of fasting, so he broke his fast. Later, he was informed that some people were still fasting, upon which the Prophet ﷺ said:
«أُولَئِكَ الْعُصَاةُ، أُولَئِكَ الْعُصَاةُ»
(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 1114)
"They are the disobedient ones, they are the disobedient ones."
On the other hand, for those who find fasting during travel easy, it is preferable to fast and follow the Sunnah of the Messenger ﷺ.
Abu al-Dardā’ رضي الله عنه reported:
«كُنَّا مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فِي شَهْرِ رَمَضَانَ فِي حَرٍّ شَدِيدٍ، وَمَا مِنَّا صَائِمٌ إِلَّا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَعَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ رَوَاحَةَ»
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 1945, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 1122)
"We were with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ in the month of Ramadan during intense heat. None among us was fasting except the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and Abdullah ibn Rawāḥah."
🖋 This is what I hold, and Allah knows best what is correct.
Source: Fatāwā Arkān al-Islām
Question
What is the ruling on a traveler fasting while facing difficulty?
Answer
All praise is due to Allah, and may peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah. To proceed:
If fasting during travel causes difficulty that is bearable, then in such a case, fasting is discouraged (makrūh).
In this regard, the Prophet ﷺ saw a man being shaded by others and people gathered around him. The Prophet ﷺ said:
«لَيْسَ مِنَ الْبِرِّ الصَّوْمُ فِي السَّفَرِ»
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 1946, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 1115)
"Fasting during travel is not a righteous act."
However, if fasting during travel causes severe hardship, then it becomes obligatory to break the fast.
An example of this is when, during a journey, the people complained to the Prophet ﷺ about the difficulty of fasting, so he broke his fast. Later, he was informed that some people were still fasting, upon which the Prophet ﷺ said:
«أُولَئِكَ الْعُصَاةُ، أُولَئِكَ الْعُصَاةُ»
(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 1114)
"They are the disobedient ones, they are the disobedient ones."
On the other hand, for those who find fasting during travel easy, it is preferable to fast and follow the Sunnah of the Messenger ﷺ.
Abu al-Dardā’ رضي الله عنه reported:
«كُنَّا مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فِي شَهْرِ رَمَضَانَ فِي حَرٍّ شَدِيدٍ، وَمَا مِنَّا صَائِمٌ إِلَّا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَعَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ رَوَاحَةَ»
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 1945, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 1122)
"We were with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ in the month of Ramadan during intense heat. None among us was fasting except the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and Abdullah ibn Rawāḥah."
🖋 This is what I hold, and Allah knows best what is correct.
