Rules for fasting (Qasr)

[Zeal]

Salaam,
can anybody shed light on if fasting is allowed when one commutes to his work place around 55 miles each way ? if not what is the exact rule?

[seeker110]

How fast do you usually drive,how congested are the roads.

[Muslim First]

Are walking, or riding camel?

Can you ask your Amil and let us know?

[feelgud]

Salaam,
what is the exact rule?

Dear Zeal,
Who is exempted from fasting in Ramadan

1.The traveller is exempted from fasting provided he fasts when he is back in his home town or village. This concession is given to the Muslims for making the rigour of fasting bearable for them. The Holy Prophet (Pbuh) has, therefore, given an option to his followers to fast on a journey or to break it according to their convenience. If the journey is hard, then it is preferable not to fast, as Allah does not like to burden His servants with unbearable hardships. But if, on the other hand the journey is light and one can easily stand the rigour of fasting, fasting is preferable. Whether one should or should not fast during the journey depends upon one's peculiar condition, circumstances and one's own strength and power to bear it. The journey means the distance in which one is allowed to shorten the prayer.

i) Children are exempted from fasting till they attain the age of puberty. However their guardians should make such children fast who can withstand the rigour of fasting, so as to inculcate in them the habit of fasting early.
ii) The Insane and invalid persons are exempted from fasting. In case a person is insane throughout the month of Ramadan then fasting is not obligatory on him and he need not compensate for it later. However, if during a part of the month of Ramadan he is insane and rest of the month he is sane, then he should fast on the days in which he is sane and he must observe compensatory fasts later equal to the number of fasts missed in Ramadan.

iii) Women during Menses: Women are exempted from observing fast during the days of menses, but they are required to complete these fasts before the commencement of Ramadan in the next year. There is no hard and fast rule about the time in which the abandoned fasts are to be completed. They can be completed at any time during the year.The Prophet (Pbuh) said: "Menstruating woman should fast in lieu of her missed fast, but she is not to offer the prayers in lieu of her missed prayers."

iv) Aged and feeble men or women: All the scholars have a common opinion that the old men or women who find it difficult to fast are permitted not to observe fast in the month of Ramadan but have to give fidya in recompensation i.e. by feeding a poor person for each day (with two meals) of the month he does not fast. This is because the aged are not expected to be able to fast at any time during the year.

v) Pregnant and suckling women: Pregnant and suckling women are permitted not to observe fast, if they feel that by observing fasts it is harmful to herself or the child or to both.

A special exemption is given to women when they are pregnant or breast-feeding. These two conditions tend to make the women weaker. If she tries to fast when she is in either of these two conditions, she may find great difficulty in doing so and she or her baby or both may come to unnecessary harm. For this reason, Allah, who knows all our weaknesses, has allowed pregnant and breast-feeding women not to fast in Ramadan. According to Imam Abu Hanifa, they are, however, expected to fast an equivalent number of days when they are no longer pregnant or breast-feeding. No fidya or compensation is to be paid in lieu of the missed fasts. She should start fasting as soon as she can. The aim is that she should not miss out on the reward for fasting. vi) The Sick: Allah Ta'ala's statement :"but if any one of you is ill or on a journey, let him fast a similar number of days later on." (Qur'an)
A sick person is exempted from fasting in Ramadan but has to fast when he recovers. Exemption is granted to those sick persons when there is danger or there is a chance of increasing their sickness by observing fasts. If one does not feel the danger (it is improper to avoid fasting under this pretext), then one is not permitted to avoid the fast.

http://www.islamicvoice.com/january.97/rama7.htm#R4

[Zeal]

Feelgud , thanks for the information.

Muslim first - how silly is your reply?
If I had to ask the Amil , why would I ask here.
And FYI , I drive , so the conditions are slightly different from where you live in deserts.


Any body else who can comment on whether its allowed or not based on the distance,
thanks and jazakallah

[Muslim First]

http://www.fatwaislam.com/fis/index.cfm?scn=fd&ID=861

http://www.slideshare.net/Xenia111/fastingrules
Fasting on a Journey
Aishah related that the Holy Prophet (PBUH) was asked whether one should Fast when on a journey, and He replied:
Fast if you like, or postpone it if you like.
Bukhari, Muslim

Fasting,
According to Five Islamic Schools of Law
http://www.al-islam.org/encyclopedia/chapter7/3.html

Br Zeal AS and ramadan kareem
If you are a DB and follow Bohra religion then you must seek guadence from your Amil. Rules of "ola Musalman" does not apply.

Ask shaikh Porus. He is expert in Ahadith from Prophet, Imams and Dais. He has direct Ilham connection with present Dai.

Wasalaam

[Zeal]

Br Muslim First,
Walekum salaam and Ramzaan mubarak!
Thanks for the Hadeeth, it surely does clarify that its upon the person who is fasting to decide the level of hardness in his journey and do fasting or avoid it.

However I am trying to understand here whether 55 miles each way commute to work is considered as journey or not, considering the fact that the person is back home before Iftaar/maghrib time.
DB's follow a rule of certain number of miles from the boundary limits of one's city , but that is not very clear and varies from person to person you speak.

[porus]

Ask shaikh Porus. He is expert in Ahadith from Prophet, Imams and Dais. He has direct Ilham connection with present Dai.

My Ilham connection with the present Dai weakens during Ramzaan but it gets very strong with every sarcasm from brother Muslim First, even in Ramzaan!

Zeal,

There is no such thing as Qasar roza. But the rule is simple. If you are in the 'state' of travel and subject to qasar namaaz, then you cannot fast. Fast must me redeemed at a later date but before the following Ramzaan. If that cannot be done, suitable kafarat must be pledged.

So, the question is "Are you in the 'state' of travel requiring you to offer qasar namaaz?".

In your case, the answer is no. The rule is that if you go to your habitual place of work and return home every day, you must offer complete namaaz. Qasar namaaz does not apply to you.

Qasar namaaz rules for Bohras according to Saheefatus Salaat:

1. If you are travelling so that the return distance from your home exceeds 24 miles, qasar namaaz applies.

2. If you intend to stay at your destination (exceeding 12 miles from home) more than 10 days, you must offer complete namaaz.

3. If you stay with your 'mohramdaar' at your destination, and they offer complete namaaz, you also must offer complete namaaz.

4. If you go to a habitual place of work or a place of 'you own' which is beyond 12 miles, you must offer complete namaaz.


Rule 4 applies to you. Since you do not offer qasar namaaz, you must keep all farizat roza.

[porus]

3. If you stay with your 'mohramdaar' at your destination, and they offer complete namaaz, you also must offer complete namaaz.

Rider/modification to rule 3.

If you stay with your 'mohramdaar' at your destination longer than the duration requiring you to offer five faraz namaaz, and they offer complete namaaz, you must also offer complete namaaz. [This means that if you are going to be with them less than a day, you must offer qasar namaaz].