Question:
Sometimes, the month of Ramadan falls during the hot season, and the owners of camels and goats do not find hired shepherds to graze their animals. Due to extreme thirst, they face hardship. Is it permissible for them to break their fast in such a situation?
Answer:
If a fasting person finds himself in a situation where breaking the fast becomes necessary, and not doing so may lead to the risk of death, then he is allowed to break his fast to the extent of necessity. However, after consuming the required amount of food and drink to survive, he must refrain from all things that invalidate the fast for the rest of the day until sunset. Additionally, after the month of Ramadan ends, he must make up for the missed fast.
This ruling is based on the command of Allah Almighty:
لَا يُكَلِّفُ اللَّـهُ نَفْسًا إِلَّا وُسْعَهَا
“Allah does not burden a soul beyond its capacity.” (Surah Al-Baqarah: 286)
And another verse states:
مَا يُرِيدُ اللَّـهُ لِيَجْعَلَ عَلَيْكُمْ مِنْ حَرَجٍ
“Allah does not intend to impose difficulty upon you.” (Surah Al-Ma'idah: 6)
(Permanent Committee for Islamic Research and Ifta - اللجنۃ الدائمۃ)
