Fasting: The Great Act of Worship : Shaykh ibn Uthaymeen
(PART FOUR)
WHO SHOULD FAST AND WHO SHOULD NOT ?
Fasting is obligatory on the mature sane and healthy Muslim. Those who are immature (i.e. young children) are encouraged to fast. Exempted are those who suffer terminal illness, or are too old to fast. Allah does not overburden His slaves.
Permission to abstain from fasting is granted to the travelers who do not travel for the purpose of breaking their fast. Even though it is permissible to break fast durning travel, it is praiseworthy to fast while traveling if no hardship imposed. In any case, travelers should make up the days they missed fasting in Ramadhaan once Ramadhaan is over and they are back home.
As for those whose sickness does not allow them to fast, they fall into three categories:
If it is neither hard nor harmful for them, they must observe fasting.
If it is hard, but not harmful for them, they are permitted to break their fast.
If it is harmful for them, then they must abstain from fasting.
It is stated in the Qur’aan:
) يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لا تَأْكُلُوا أَمْوَالَكُمْ بَيْنَكُمْ بِالْبَاطِلِ إِلَّا أَنْ تَكُونَ تِجَارَةً عَنْ تَرَاضٍ مِنْكُمْ وَلا تَقْتُلُوا أَنْفُسَكُمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ بِكُمْ رَحِيماً) (النساء:29)
) وَلا تُلْقُوا بِأَيْدِيكُمْ إِلَى التَّهْلُكَةِ)(البقرة: من الآية195)
Do not kill yourselves. [An- Nisaa’ (4) : 29] – Baqarah (2) : 195]
The prophet صلي الله عليه وسلم was reported to have said, “ There is (to be) no harm or reciprocating harm.”(13)
The days that are missed in Ramadhaan must be made up once Ramadhaan is over.
REFERENCE:
11. Saheeh Al- Bukhaari (Arabic/English, vol. 3. # 181.
12. The Prophet # was asked about fasting on a journey and he said , “ Fast if you wish and break it if you wish “ . Saleh Al – Bukhaari (Arabic / English ) Vol . 3 # 164 and Saheeh Muslim ( English Tans. ) # 2487 ] Ibn Abbas رضي الله عنه said , “ Do not condemn one who obsees fast’ or one who does not observe it (in a journey ), for the messenger of Allah # observed it (in a journey), for the messenger of Allah # Observed fast in a journey or he did not observe it (too). [ Saheeh Muslinm (English Trans.) # 2471 ]
13. Ahmad, ibn Maajah; Saheeh [ Saheeh Al- Jaami. As sagheer, # 7517]
Muslim Islam Z Alhassan