Question:
- What happens when someone has broken their fast for a permissible reason, but that reason ceases to exist during the course of the day? Do they refrain from eating and drinking for the rest of the day?
Answer:
- No, they do not have to begin holding back from food and drink. This is because the individual has not been required to fast this day because of a legislated proof. So the legislation makes it permissible for some one that has to take medication, for example, to take it. But if he takes it, then he has broken his fast. This means that this is not a day in which he must fast, which is shown because it is permissible for him to break his fast. What is upon this individual is to make up the fast. Being as though that is the case, our making that person begin to fast even though it is no legislative benefit in it for him is not correct. As long as this person is not getting any benefit from staying away from food and drink, we don not tell him that he has to do so.
- An example of this is when a man sees someone drowning in water, and he says, “If i drink something then it is possible for me to save him, but if I don’t drink anything that I will not be able to save him”. Then he drinks and saves him, and continues to eat and drink for the rest of the day. This is because this person is not required to fast on this day because of the fact that he had a legislated reason for breaking the fast. Therefore, it is not upon him to stay away from those things that break ones fast. As well if there were a person that was sick, do we say to them, “Do not eat until you become very hungry or drink until you become very thirsty?” Meaning for them not to eat or drink unless there was a dire emergency. No we do not say this to them. This is because it is permissible for the sick person to eat and drink. So everyone that broke their fast during Ramadan for a legislated reason, then it is not upon them to refrain from those things that normally break ones fast. But the opposite is true for the other side of the coin. The one that broke his fast for an impermissible reason or one that is not legislated, then they must refrain from eating and drinking. this is because it was not permissible for him to break his fast in the beginning. This person left off that which was upon him on that particular day with out legislated permission. So this person we tell that they must not only refrain from food and drink, but that also he must make up that day.
[Taken from Fatawah Arkan al Islam by Sheikh Uthaimeen]
[Translated by Abu Abdillah Abdul Lateef]
