Authored by: Sheikh Mubashar Ahmad Rabbani (May Allah preserve him)
This ruling is supported by a narration from Umar ibn Al-Khattab (رضي الله عنه) that the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) said:
"When the night appears from here, and the day disappears from here, and the sun sets, the fasting person may break their fast."
(Sahih Bukhari, Book of Fasting: Chapter on When a Fasting Person May Break Their Fast, Hadith 1954)
In another narration from Sahih Muslim, Abdullah ibn Abi Awfa (رضي الله عنه) reported:
"We were traveling with the Prophet (ﷺ) during Ramadan. When sunset approached, the Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'O so-and-so, get down and prepare a drink for us.' The man replied: 'It is still daytime.' The Prophet (ﷺ) repeated: 'Get down and prepare it.' The man complied, prepared the drink, and brought it to the Prophet (ﷺ), who drank it and then gestured with his hand, saying: 'When the sun disappears from this direction and the night approaches from this direction, the fasting person may break their fast.'"
(Sahih Muslim, Book of Fasting: Chapter on When the Fast Ends and the Day Passes, Hadith 1101)
A similar narration in Sahih Bukhari states:
"When you see the night coming from this direction, the fasting person may break their fast."
(Sahih Bukhari, Book of Fasting: Chapter on When a Fasting Person May Break Their Fast, Hadith 1955)
"This refers to the appearance of darkness in the east, indicating that night has begun."
(Fath al-Bari, 4/250)
The onset of night and the departure of day are confirmed by sunset, which is the time for breaking the fast, as indicated by the above narrations.
"When the sun has completely disappeared and darkness appears from the east, the fasting person should break their fast. The remaining redness in the sky is not taken into consideration."
(Majmu' al-Fatawa, 25/215-216)
"If the plane departs Riyadh before sunset and heads west, you will remain in a state of fasting until the sun sets while you are in the air. You cannot break your fast until sunset. Alternatively, if you land in a city where the sun has already set, you may break your fast at that time."
(Majmu' Fatawa wa Maqalat, 15/322)
Question:
If a fasting person boards a flight one hour or less before sunset and is far from the city, at what time should they break their fast?Answer:
If a fasting person boards the plane before sunset, they must not break their fast until they actually see the sun set or until the sun sets in their location, or they land in a city where the sun has already set.This ruling is supported by a narration from Umar ibn Al-Khattab (رضي الله عنه) that the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) said:
"When the night appears from here, and the day disappears from here, and the sun sets, the fasting person may break their fast."
(Sahih Bukhari, Book of Fasting: Chapter on When a Fasting Person May Break Their Fast, Hadith 1954)
In another narration from Sahih Muslim, Abdullah ibn Abi Awfa (رضي الله عنه) reported:
"We were traveling with the Prophet (ﷺ) during Ramadan. When sunset approached, the Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'O so-and-so, get down and prepare a drink for us.' The man replied: 'It is still daytime.' The Prophet (ﷺ) repeated: 'Get down and prepare it.' The man complied, prepared the drink, and brought it to the Prophet (ﷺ), who drank it and then gestured with his hand, saying: 'When the sun disappears from this direction and the night approaches from this direction, the fasting person may break their fast.'"
(Sahih Muslim, Book of Fasting: Chapter on When the Fast Ends and the Day Passes, Hadith 1101)
A similar narration in Sahih Bukhari states:
"When you see the night coming from this direction, the fasting person may break their fast."
(Sahih Bukhari, Book of Fasting: Chapter on When a Fasting Person May Break Their Fast, Hadith 1955)
Scholarly Explanation:
Hafiz Ibn Hajar (رحمه الله) explained:"This refers to the appearance of darkness in the east, indicating that night has begun."
(Fath al-Bari, 4/250)
The onset of night and the departure of day are confirmed by sunset, which is the time for breaking the fast, as indicated by the above narrations.
Ibn Taymiyyah's Opinion:
Sheikh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (رحمه الله) said:"When the sun has completely disappeared and darkness appears from the east, the fasting person should break their fast. The remaining redness in the sky is not taken into consideration."
(Majmu' al-Fatawa, 25/215-216)
Ibn Baz's Opinion:
Sheikh Ibn Baz (رحمه الله) stated:"If the plane departs Riyadh before sunset and heads west, you will remain in a state of fasting until the sun sets while you are in the air. You cannot break your fast until sunset. Alternatively, if you land in a city where the sun has already set, you may break your fast at that time."
(Majmu' Fatawa wa Maqalat, 15/322)
Conclusion:
A fasting person traveling on a plane must not break their fast until they either:- Witness the sun setting while in the air.
- Land in a location where the sun has already set.