The Fiqh of Some of The Most Important Issues Of Raman

By Shaykh Abdul Qdir al-Junayd ()

Translated by Abu zm Sbir Crispin

The following are eight issues related to fasting in the month of Raman:
1. The fasting of the child who is young and not obligated to fast.
If they are able to fast and have not yet reached the age of puberty, it is preferred for the
parents or guardian to encourage that child to fast so they could get used to fasting. This was
the practice of the believers at the time of the Prophet () .
It is authentically reported that a man broke his fast during the daytime of Raman and was
brought to Amr al-Muminn Umar Ibn al-Khab ( ) and Umar rebuked him saying:
Destruction has come to you! You break your fast when our children are fasting!? And he
(Umar) hit the man.
2. The Muslims who might be in a coma in Raman and whether or not their family members
are obligated to fast on their behalf if they pass away.
If this coma continues and the person does not awaken and they die, then the family members
do not have to fast and do not have to feed a poor person for any days missed during the coma.
If they recover from the coma and is healed then it is wjib for him to make up the days that he

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missed. This was mentioned by Ibn Qudmah in Al-Mughn. He said: We do not know of any
difference of opinion amongst the scholars concerning this.
There are some people who might faint during Raman, which is similar to being in a coma
but it is much shorter. If this is the case, then their fast is correct and they do not have to redo
that fast, and this is according to all four of the madhhib as mentioned by Imm Ibn Qim in
his shiyah Raw al-Murbi.
It is reported that Nfi the servant of Ibn Umar said that Ibn Umar used to fast and he would
faint at times and he would not break his fast due to fainting i.e. fainting does not break ones
fast.
3. The fasting of the sick person.
Allh has given permission for the sick person to break his fast during Raman as Allh says:

So whoever of you sights (the crescent on the first night of) the month (of Raman i.e. is present at his
home), he must observe awm (fasts) that month, and whoever is ill or on a journey, the same number [of

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days which one did not observe awm (fasts) must be made up] from other days. Allh intends for you
ease, and He does not want to make things difficult for you. 1
However, it is not every sickness that makes it permissible to break the fast. There are some
types of illnesses that make it permissible and others that do not. The type of sickness that
makes it permissible to break the fast is when the person who is afflicted finds it difficult to
fast or he/she fears that they will be delayed in being cured from the sickness.
If fasting is going to increase the person in some ailment then they can abstain from fasting,
and this is the opinion of the majority of the Ulam` including Imm Mlik, Imm ash-Shfi and
Imm Amad.
There are some sicknesses that do not affect the fasting person such as having a broken finger,
so it does not make it permissible for the person with a broken finger to break their fast. The
sick person who breaks his fast during Raman has one of two scenarios after Raman:
1. If this is a type of illness that is continuous and the person does not expect to be cured
of this sickness, then it is permissible - without any difference of opinion amongst the
scholars - for this person to break his fast, as was reported by Ibn Mufli in his book, AlFur.
The evidence is the statement of Allh () :

Srah al-Baqarah 2:185

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Allh does not burden a soul with more than it can bear. 2
If this is the case and they break their fast they do not have to feed a poor person for each day,
and this is the opinion of the majority of the People of Knowledge and this was the fatw of the
Companion Abdullh Ibn Abbs (
).
2. The person who is sick and expects to be cured of this sickness. In this case, the person
should wait until he feels better and then make up the fasts that he missed. As Allh said:

and whoever is ill or on a journey, the same number [of days which one did not observe awm (fasts)
must be made up] from other days.
Whoever intended to fast at night and was then afflicted with some illness during the daytime,
it is permissible for him/her to break the fast due to that illness during the day even though
they already began the fast. This is according to the consensus of the People of Knowledge.
If a person broke fast because of some sickness that afflicted him during the day and it
continued until he died and he was not able to make up the fast then his relatives are not
obliged to fast on his behalf for that day he missed. And likewise, they are not obliged to feed a

Srah al-Baqarah 2:286

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poor person because he broke fast for a reason that was permissible for him to break the fast.
This is the opinion of the Imms of the four madhhib.
If a person is sick and Allh cures him and he is able to make up the fasts he broke in Raman
then he should do so and likewise feed a poor person for each day he missed.
4. The person who is unable to fast due to old age.
The old man or woman whose health does not permit them to fast are allowed to not fast
during the month of Raman and there is no sin upon them for eating during this month, as is
mentioned by Ibn Mundhir in his book, Al-Ijm. Allh says:

Allh does not burden a soul with more than it can bear.
So when this is the case, instead of fasting they feed a poor person for each day they missed of
Raman. And this was the opinion of the abah including Ibn Abbs - that whenever a
person breaks their fast due to old age they should feed a poor person for each day that they
broke their fast.
If a person becomes weak - as Ibn Abbs mentions - before their death and breaks fast during
Raman their family should fast on their behalf for the days they missed as well as feed a poor
person for each day missed.

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If an old person gets to the pint of being senile, they are not obliged to fast and their relatives
do not fast or feed a poor person on their behalf.
5. The pregnant or breastfeeding woman.
If such a woman is physically capable of fasting and it will not harm the baby then she must
fast. However, if she fears for her own health or her babys health - whether pregnant of
breastfeeding - it is permissible for her to break the fast. And this is an authentic fatw that
was given by both Ibn Umar and Ibn Abbs.
The Prophet ( ) himself said: Allh has removed from the traveller half of the alh and
He has removed fast from the traveller, the sick, the nursing woman and the pregnant woman.
So if either the pregnant or breastfeeding woman breaks fast for fear of her own health, this is
permissible according to all four of the Imms of Islmic Jurisprudence. This is similar to the
sick person, which we know without any argument amongst the People of Knowledge that it is
permissible for the sick person to break their fast for fear of his own health.
If the pregnant or breastfeeding woman breaks fast for fear of the health of her child and not
her own, the most correct opinion is that she should only make up the days she broke fast and
she does not have to feed a poor person in addition to making up the days. This was the fatw
given by Shaykh Abdul Azz Ibn Bz ( ) as well as Shaykh Muammad Ibn li al-Uthaymn

() . However, if the woman broke fast for fear of her childs health and made up the day

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at a later time and also fed a poor person that would be good, as it was authentically reported
that some of the Companions did so.
6. The menstruating woman or the one who has postpartum bleeding.
It is not permissible for such a woman to fast and it is an obligation for her to make up the fasts
once this bleeding finishes. And this is according to the agreement of all of the People of
Knowledge. `ishah (
)said: When this used to afflict us we were commanded to
make up the fast and we were not commanded to make up the prayers that we missed.
The woman who has postpartum bleeding, her ruling is just like that of the woman with
menstruation as was reported by Ibn Rajab al-anbali in his book, Fat al-Br.
If the menstruating woman or the one who has postpartum bleeding stops bleeding a few
minutes before Fajr, this means she is pure and she must fast the coming day even if she has
not yet made ghusl; and even if she delays ghusl until after Fajr she still has to fast that day.
7. A person who missed some fasting and did not make it up until the following year.
If a person missed some days of Raman this year and did not make them up until the next
Raman came around, or if a person missed fasting for several Ramans, there are two
scenarios:
1. The person misses the fast due to a valid excuse such as being sick and the sickness
continues until Raman of the coming year or for several years. Such a person does not have

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to pay any expiation because he has broken fast for a legitimate reason and has a valid excuse.
This is the opinion of the Imms of the four madhhib.
2. If Raman comes the next year and the person still did not make up the days he missed
from Raman of this year, he has two obligations. The first is making up the fast and the
second is paying an expiation, which is feeding a poor person for each day missed. And this is
for the person who was not prevented from making up the fast by being sick the entire year up
until the following Raman. This has been reported to be the opinion of several of the abah.
It has even been said that this is the ijm of the abah and none of them differed in this
opinion.
8. New events in our day that may break the fast.
1. [Not clear]
2. Injections that have nutritional value and could take the place of food break the fast.
3. Having an examination where a camera is inserted into the body to look at the organs breaks
the fast. This is in agreement with the principle that was stated by all of the Imms of the four
madhhib, because it is something that enters into the stomach so it is just like food that enters
into the stomach from a passage other than the mouth but it still breaks the fast.
4. Nose drops: If after using nose drops one feels some taste in the throat, it breaks the fast
according to the opinion of the Imms of the four madhhib.

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5. Any medication that is placed into the body through the anus breaks the fast because this
entrance is connected to the intestines, which are connected to the stomach.

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Question: Is it permissible to have a community iftaar every night in Raman or is this

considered a bidah especially if it is a small community?
Shaykh Abdul Qdir: There is no problem with this if the people live far away from the masjid
and by breaking fast at home means that they will not arrive in time to pray maghrib with the
jamah, then it is permissible for everyone to break fast at the masjid together. However, if
everyone lives near the masjid it is better for them to break fast in their home and then come
to the masjid.
Likewise, if there are several single men who do not cook etc. and by them coming to the
masjid would make it easier for them to get food and pray in congregation, then there is no
problem with this. And Allh knows best.

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