6th May 2017
السلام عليكم و رحمة الله و بركاته
Question: I am 18 and have exams coming up in July in college. I am expected to partake in revision classes a few weeks before the exams. I also need to revise but will clash with Ramadhān fasting. Can I miss my Ramadhān fasts this year for the sake of revision and make up for them during winter?
الجواب حامداً و مصلياً
In the name of Allāh, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer
As a general principle, fasting during Ramadhān is fardhul Ain (individual obligation) which cannot be compromised unless there is a potential risk of becoming severely ill. School examination does not fall within the exceptional category of postponing one’s fast, therefore it will not be permissible to miss the fast for the sake of exams. If, however, due to intense revision you fall ill and you are near certain that your condition will worsen if you fast during long hours then you can postpone your fast by not keeping it at all due to the illness.[1]
[Allãh Knows Best]
Written by (Mufti) Abdul Waheed
Answer Attested by Shaykh Mufti Saiful Islam
JKN Fatawa Department
[1] Fatawa Hindiyyah, Kitāb as-Sawm, Bāb fil a’dhār, vol 1, p. 227
(وَمِنْهَا الْمَرَضُ) الْمَرِيضُ إذَا خَافَ عَلَى نَفْسِهِ التَّلَفَ أَوْ ذَهَابَ عُضْوٍ يُفْطِرُ بِالْإِجْمَاعِ، وَإِنْ خَافَ زِيَادَةَ الْعِلَّةِ وَامْتِدَادَهَا فَكَذَلِكَ عِنْدَنَا، وَعَلَيْهِ الْقَضَاءُ إذَا أَفْطَرَ كَذَا فِي الْمُحِيطِ. ثُمَّ مَعْرِفَةُ ذَلِكَ بِاجْتِهَادِ الْمَرِيضِ وَالِاجْتِهَادُ غَيْرُ مُجَرَّدِ الْوَهْمِ بَلْ هُوَ غَلَبَةُ ظَنٍّ عَنْ أَمَارَةٍ أَوْ تَجْرِبَةٍ أَوْ بِإِخْبَارِ طَبِيبٍ مُسْلِمٍ غَيْرِ ظَاهِرِ الْفِسْقِ كَذَا فِي فَتْحِ الْقَدِيرِ. وَالصَّحِيحُ الَّذِي يَخْشَى أَنْ يَمْرَضَ بِالصَّوْمِ فَهُوَ كَالْمَرِيضِ هَكَذَا فِي التَّبْيِينِ وَلَوْ كَانَ لَهُ نَوْبَةُ الْحُمَّى فَأَكَلَ قَبْلَ أَنْ تَظْهَرَ الْحُمَّى لَا بَأْسَ بِهِ كَذَا فِي فَتْحِ الْقَدِيرِ. وَمَنْ كَانَ لَهُ حُمَّى غَبٌّ فَلَمَّا كَانَ الْيَوْمُ الْمُعْتَادُ أَفْطَرَ عَلَى تَوَهُّمِ أَنَّ الْحُمَّى تُعَاوِدُهُ وَتُضْعِفُهُ فَأَخْلَفَتْ الْحُمَّى تَلْزَمُهُ الْكَفَّارَةُ كَذَا فِي الْخُلَاصَةِ