Author: Abdullah Jallow

Question: 

I woke up late from sleep, and then I went to the refrigerator and eat a morsel of food and drank some water. I went out after that in order to ascertain the time and heard the Fajr Adhaan; so I withheld from (eating) and completed the (day’s) fasting. What is the ruling on this fasting of mine?

Answer:

The initiate affair (with regards to this is that the fasting) is correct Inshaa-Allaah. Your fasting is correct as long as it is not ascertained that your eating was after fajr. The initial affair (with regards to this is that the fasting) is correct and it is not obligatory upon you to repeat (the fast); because the scholars say: ”Whoever eats whilst being doubtful about the approach of the fajr, his fasting is correct.” [Al-Fataawaa Wad-Duroos Fil-Masjidil Haraam of Shaikh Abdullaah Bin Muhammad Bin Humaid (rahimahullaah) page: 507] 

Question:

A man travelled outside the kingdom of (Saudi Arabia) and he is from the people of Makkah; so what is the ruling on him if he breaks his fast and shortens his prayer until he returns, even if he stayed (in his place of travel) for a year?

Answer:

For instance: if he resides in a land for the purpose of studying-to study medicine or something else- it is neither permissible for him to break his fast nor shorten his prayers because the ruling on (him) is that of a resident. However, if you are from those just passing quickly (i.e. travelling), there is no harm in breaking the fast and shortening the prayer. Meaning: you are just passing through this land and are not residing there except for a day or two, or three days, and then proceeding to another land to fulfill a need over there; or you’re on a tour and just staying for two to three days, then there is no harm in breaking the fast and shortening the prayer. This is what the Islamic Legislation came with. As for taking out five months, ten months, a year or two in the name of studying or other than it, and then saying that you will break the fast and shorten the prayer, this is neither correct nor permissible.

[Source: Al-Fataawaa Wad-Duroos Fil Masjidil Haraam of Shaikh Abdullaah Bin Muhammad Bin Humaid (rahimahullaah); page: 486] 

Question:

I wanted to travel in the morning and I made an intention to fast, but at the time of Dhur I felt some difficulty, is it permissible for me to break the fast; and if I break the fast, what is the expiation for that?

Answer:

There is no harm to break your fast if you are travelling, even if you did make an intention to fast. As long as you have left the country, (or the boundaries of your city), it is permissible for you to break the fast; rather it is better (to break the fast). As for if you are in the country (or within the boundaries of your city) and you have not travelled yet, it is impermissible (to break the fast), and it is impermissible for you to break the fast as long as you are in the country (or within the boundaries of your city).

But for example, you are to travel tomorrow and at present you have made an intention to fast and then you travelled, it is permissible for you to break the fast whether you encounter difficulty or not, and expiation is not incumbent upon you.

As for if you intended to travel and made an intention to fast, but you did not get to travel and you broke your fasting when Dhur came, then you are forbidden to do this and you have committed a crime. It is incumbent upon you to repent and repay that day’s fast. However, if breaking the fast was done after you (started) travel, then there is no harm (in this) Inshaa-Allaah.

[For further deatils, see: Al-Fataawaa Wad-Duroos Fil-Masjidil Haraam of Shaikh Abdullaah Bin Muhammad Bin Humaid (rahimahullaah) pages: 485-486]

Question:

What is better, that a person reads the Qur’aan and finishes it many times or that he reads it pondering over its Tafseer [and finishes it] once or twice in Ramadhaan?

Shaykh Yahya An-Najmee:

By Allaah if he reads it once with its explanation and understands it, it is better than if he reads it being hasty or so. And when a man said to Abdullah Ibn Mas’ood (Radiya Allaahu ‘anhu), ”I have indeed read al Mufassal yesterday” [Mufassal, 4 Juzz from Qaaf up to An-Naas]. Ibn Mas’ood answered:”This is the reading of a hasty poet.”

It is therefore better to read and ponder [over the Aayah] using an explanation to make the meaning clear. It is better to read with a Tafseer and to ponder [over the Aayah], Na’am.

[see link]  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBnarawnaAo&feature=g-all-u]

Translated from French to English by: Abu Zainab (Muhammad Al-Hindee)

If this old person is sane and has discernment, but he is unable to fast; then he has to feed a poor person every day. However, if he has no discernment and has begun to be senile, then neither fasting nor prayer is incumbent upon this person; because he has become like a child and he does not possess (full) comprehension/discernment. And (there is) the hadeeth: ”The pen is lifted from three”, therefore he is not obligated; rather if he fasted and prayed, his fasting and prayer is not correct, as long as he is not held accountable (by Islamic law) and is senile, and his (full) comprehension/discernment has ceased.

However, if he has discernment, is aware of what he says and he understands, and he desires to fast, but is unable; then this person is to feed a poor person every day.

[For further details, see: Al-Fataawaa Wad-Duroos Fil-Masjidil Haraam of Shaikh Abdullaah Bin Muhammad Bin Humaid (rahimahullaah): Page: 483]

Question:

A woman asks: The normal monthly menstrual blood showed after the opening of the fast and before I performed the Maghrib prayer; so is my fasting correct?

Answer:

Yes, it is correct. As long as it did not come upon you except after sunset, then it is not incumbent upon you to repeat (that day’s fasting), and that day’s fasting is correct. As for if the (menstrual) blood comes upon you before the adhaan, meaning before the setting of the sun, then (your) fasting on that day is ruined and you must repeat that day’s fasting. But as long as the (menstrual) blood came after the setting of the sun and after you have taken food for the opening of the fast, then the fasting of that day is correct and it is not incumbent upon you to (repeat it) Inshaa-Allaah.

[For further details: see: Al-Fataawaa Wad-Duroos Fil-Masjid Al-Haraam of Shaikh Abdullaah Bin Muhammad Bin Humaid (rahimahullaah) page: 476-477]