Conditions in which one can forgo fasting (Part1)

Under what circumstances can one forgo fasting?
Q.2: What is meant by journey?
Q.3: Can one forgo fast or not if he plans to travel in the day?
Q.4: What injunction is there if a traveler stays somewhere before noon?
Q.5: What injunction is there for a traveller who reaches his home after meridian?
Q.6: In which condition can one forgo his fast for illness?
Q,7: Can one forgo his fast or not for just a doubt of aggravation of disease?
Q.8: What injunction is there if a woman has "Haiz-o-Nifaas" during fast?
Q.9: Will fast of a menstruating woman who becomes free from it in the day be in order or not if she makes intention of fast?
Q10: How should a menstruating woman spend remaining part of the day if she becomes free from it?

Q.1: Under what circumstances can one forgo fasting?
One can forgo fasting in the following conditions without incurring a sin: Journey, pregnancy, breast-feeding of a child, severe sickness, old age, fear of being killed, duress, fear of loss of the senses and "Jehaad" (religious war, holy crusade).

Q.2: What is meant by journey?
A. Journey means Shar'ee travel i.e. to set off on a journey for such a distant place,destination that is covered in three days if one walks on foot irrespective of adopting whatever mode of travel like plane etc. However, it is better for the traveller and his companions to fast during journey if it does not harm them otherwise non-observance of fast is better.

Q.3: Can one forgo fast or not if he plans to travel in the day?
A. If one plans to undertake a journey any time in the day he can not forgo fast of that day, for, it is not a valid excuse. He should observe fast. In case, he fasted and broke it before time during journey, in such situation Kaffaarah would not be due but he would be sinner and if he fasted and broke it before time prior to undertaking travel and then set off on a journey then Kaffaarah would also become due. Likewise, if he travelled in the day and came back home to collect something which he had forgotten to carry with him and broke his fast before time at home, in such situation too Kaffaarah would be due.

Q.4: What injunction is there if a traveler stays somewhere before noon?
A. If a traveler makes intention of staying somewhere before meridian Shar'ee (the time by which intention of fast has to be made) and he ate or drank nothing by that time then he must intend for and observe fast as his journey is finished before the ceiling time of forming "Niyat" of fast.

Q.5: What injunction is there for a traveller who reaches his home after meridian?
A. If a traveller intends to stay somewhere or reaches his home after meridian Shar'ee and ate or drank nothing by that time, in such case he can not observe fast as the ceiling time of making intention has expired. However, he must spend the remaining part of the day as a fasting man.

Q.6: In which condition can one forgo his fast for illness?
A. If a sick man is sure that observance of fast will aggravate his disease or delay the recovery or a healthy man is certain that fast will make him sick or a servant/maid is sure that observance of fast will weaken him/her badly, in such cases fast of that day can be forgone.

Q,7: Can one forgo his fast or not for just a doubt of aggravation of disease?
A. A mere doubt or apprehension that observance of fast will worsen the condition of the sick is no excuse to forgo fast. One must be sure of it.
For example,
(1).there are some symptoms which lead to believe that observance of fast will aggravate his disease or
(2).he has experienced such thing in the past or
(3).an experienced Muslim doctor who is not involved in "Fisq-o-Fujoor" (sinfulness and debauchery) has advised to forgo fast otherwise his condition is sure to worsen. If one broke his fast before time without facing any of these conditions on the advice of a doctor who is an unbeliever or "Faasiq" (sinner,transgressor) then Kaffaarah would also become due and in case, he forwent a fast then he would be sinner. Unfortunately, nowadays doctors advise their patients to forgo fast for just an ordinary disease without taking into consideration whether his disease warrants such advice or not. Advice of such doctors is not credible.

Q.8: What injunction is there if a woman has "Haiz-o-Nifaas" during fast?
A. If a woman has "Haiz-o-Nifaas" (menstruation or discharge of blood of childbirth) during fasting her fast would be spoilt and she will have to observe Qada thereof. Qada of obligatory fast is "Fard" and "Waajib" of Nafil fast.

Q.9: Will fast of a menstruating woman who becomes free from it in the day be in order or not if she makes intention of fast?
A. Being free from "Haiz-o-Nifaas" (menstruation and discharge of blood of childbirth) is must for a woman to observe fast. If a woman who has Haiz-o-Nifaas becomes free from it in the day before meridian Shar'ee and she forms Niyat of fast, her fast will not be in order irrespective of Fard or Nafil.

Q10: How should a menstruating woman spend remaining part of the day if she becomes free from it?
A. If a woman who has Haiz-o-Nifaas becomes from free it in the day, she should spend the remaining part of the day like a fasting woman.

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