Is It Permissible to Eat and Drink During the Remainder of the Day After the Excuse Ends?
Source: Fatāwā Arkān-e-Islām
When a person skips a fast due to a valid excuse, and that excuse no longer exists during the day, is it necessary for them to refrain from eating and drinking for the remainder of the day?
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu was-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh, ʾammā baʿd!
It is not necessary for such a person to refrain from eating and drinking for the rest of the day, because they skipped the fast based on a Sharʿī proof.
Sharīʿah allowed them to skip the fast due to a legitimate necessity, such as the need to take medication.
Once the person took the medicine, their fast was invalidated, and the sanctity of that day no longer applies to them, since the Sharīʿah granted them permission to forgo the fast.
However, they will be required to make up (qaḍāʾ) for that fast later.
It is not Sharīʿah-compliant to prevent such a person from eating and drinking for the rest of the day.
If someone sees a person drowning in water, and in the process of rescuing them they themselves need to drink water (which is typically forbidden during fasting), then they may do so, and can eat and drink for the rest of the day, because they acted in accordance with Sharīʿah requirements.
If someone is ill, we cannot tell them to only eat when hungry and refrain from drinking even when thirsty.
Sharīʿah permits the sick person to skip the fast altogether.
Anyone who skips the Ramadan fast based on Sharʿī evidence is not obligated to refrain from eating and drinking during the rest of the day.
Anyone who skips the fast without a valid excuse must refrain from eating and drinking for the remainder of the day,
because they violated the sanctity of the day without any Sharʿī justification.
In such a case, not only is it necessary to abstain from eating and drinking for the rest of the day, but making up the fast (qaḍāʾ) is also obligatory upon them.
هٰذا ما عندي والله أعلم بالصواب
Source: Fatāwā Arkān-e-Islām
❖ Question
When a person skips a fast due to a valid excuse, and that excuse no longer exists during the day, is it necessary for them to refrain from eating and drinking for the remainder of the day?
❖ Answer
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu was-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh, ʾammā baʿd!
It is not necessary for such a person to refrain from eating and drinking for the rest of the day, because they skipped the fast based on a Sharʿī proof.
Sharīʿah allowed them to skip the fast due to a legitimate necessity, such as the need to take medication.
Once the person took the medicine, their fast was invalidated, and the sanctity of that day no longer applies to them, since the Sharīʿah granted them permission to forgo the fast.
However, they will be required to make up (qaḍāʾ) for that fast later.
It is not Sharīʿah-compliant to prevent such a person from eating and drinking for the rest of the day.
◈ Illustrative Example:
If someone sees a person drowning in water, and in the process of rescuing them they themselves need to drink water (which is typically forbidden during fasting), then they may do so, and can eat and drink for the rest of the day, because they acted in accordance with Sharīʿah requirements.
◈ Similarly:
If someone is ill, we cannot tell them to only eat when hungry and refrain from drinking even when thirsty.
Sharīʿah permits the sick person to skip the fast altogether.
✔ General Rule Derived:
Anyone who skips the Ramadan fast based on Sharʿī evidence is not obligated to refrain from eating and drinking during the rest of the day.
✖ On the Contrary:
Anyone who skips the fast without a valid excuse must refrain from eating and drinking for the remainder of the day,
because they violated the sanctity of the day without any Sharʿī justification.
In such a case, not only is it necessary to abstain from eating and drinking for the rest of the day, but making up the fast (qaḍāʾ) is also obligatory upon them.
هٰذا ما عندي والله أعلم بالصواب
