❀ Seeing the Sun Again in a Plane After Breaking the Fast – What Is the Ruling?
Source: Fatāwā Arkan-e-Islam
✦ The Question
If a person breaks their fast at the airport after sunset and hears the Adhan, then boards a plane and sees the sun again at altitude, should they stop eating and drinking?
✦ Shar‘i Ruling
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu was-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh, Ammā Baʿd!
In such a case, the ruling is as follows:
◈ If a person has broken their fast on the ground after sunset, then they are not required to abstain again from eating and drinking after boarding the plane, even if the sun becomes visible again.
◈ This is because the individual broke their fast at a location where the sun had truly set, and the Adhan was called in accordance with the Shari‘ah.
◈ Therefore, the person had acted in complete compliance with the Islamic ruling at that time and place.
✦ Shar‘i Evidence
The Prophet ﷺ said:
«إِذَا أَقْبَلَ اللَّيْلُ مِنْ هَاهُنَا، وَأَدْبَرَ النَّهَارُ مِنْ هَاهُنَا، وَغَرَبَتِ الشَّمْسُ، فَقَدْ أَفْطَرَ الصَّائِمُ»
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Kitāb al-Ṣawm, Bāb al-Ṣawm fī al-Safar wa al-Iftār, Ḥadīth: 1941)
Translation:
“When night approaches from this side, and day departs from that side, and the sun has set—then the fasting person has indeed broken the fast.”
✦ Important Shar‘i Principles
✔ This ḥadīth makes it clear that sunset defines the time of Iftar.
✔ Since the individual was on the ground and witnessed the actual sunset, their Iftar was valid and in accordance with Shari‘ah.
✔ Later seeing the sun from a plane does not obligate the person to resume fasting, because the Shar‘i ruling is based on their time and place at the moment of Iftar.
✔ Shari‘ah applies based on terrestrial observation, not aerial or post-departure scenarios.
✔ Conclusion:
❀ Breaking the fast after sunset at the airport is valid.
❀ Seeing the sun again in flight does not require one to abstain from eating and drinking.
❀ The act of Iftar was done correctly and lawfully as per the time on earth.
❀ Therefore, no further action is required, and the fast remains complete.
ھٰذَا مَا عِندِي وَاللّٰهُ أَعْلَمُ بِالصَّوَابِ
