This excerpt is taken from the book of Fadhilat al-Shaykh Mubashir Ahmad Rabbani, may Allah have mercy on him, Ahkam and Masail of Ramadan.
When should one break the fast during air travel?
Question:.
We departed from Riyadh by airplane approximately one hour before the Maghrib adhan during the month of Ramadan, with the permission of Allah Almighty. The Maghrib adhan was about to be called, and we were in the skies of Saudi Arabia. Should we break our fast, considering we could see the sun, which was quite high, and we were in the air? Or should we continue our fast and break it only upon reaching our country, or can we break our fast according to the time of the adhan in Saudi Arabia?
Fatwa:.
When the plane takes off from Riyadh and for example, it heads west before sunset, you will continue to fast until the sun sets. Whether you are in the air or have landed in your country, you should break your fast at sunset. Because the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
إذا أقبل الليل من ههنا وأدبر النهار من هنا وغربت الشمس فقد أفطر الصائم
"On the day when night increases from this side and day retreats from that side and the sun sets, then at that time the fasting person should break their fast."
Reference: (Bukhari, Book of Fasting, Chapter: When is it permissible for the fasting person to break their fast: 1954, Muslim, Book of Fasting, Chapter: Explanation of the time of the end of fasting: 1100)
