Two Homes
Question :

I have two homes, one in a city and another at my native village, and the distance between them is about 200 km. I mainly work and live in the city and visit my village every month or so for a few days. What is the ruling of fasting and praying there?

Answer :

As long as the native village was your hometown where you used to live and you did not abandon it – i.e. you still consider it as your home town – then your prayer must be offered in full and you can fast as well while you are staying there.

Living in two Cities
Question :

I live in two cities; the distance between is more than 4 Farsakhs – approximately 23 kilometers. I live for two days in one of them and five days in the other every week. Am I considered as a traveler?

Answer :

If the two cities are both your permanent hometowns, then you should fast in both of them. If your hometown was one of them and your connection to the other city is temporary, for a month or two for instance, then you should fast in your hometown and not fast in the other.

The Distance to Break the Fast
Question :

How much does one have to travel in order to break his fast?

Answer :

If your travel is twenty-three kilometers or more, considering both the outgoing and the return, then you break your fast when you travel.

Travel during Ramadan
Question :

In regards to travelling during Ramadan, is the specified distance 22 km from your location to the destination, or is it from the edge of the city in which you live?

Answer :

The distance is considered from the edge of the city if the city is small. In large cities, the distance is considered from the edge of the area where the individual resides. The distance is 23 km.

Sinful Intention of Travel
Question :

If one is in the month of Ramadan and he had an intention to travel, but his intentions are sinful, for example, he goes to get interest from a Muslim or visit a music concert, is he obliged to continue fasting or not?

Answer :

If the trip was for a sinful purpose then one should continue his fasting.

Staying for Less than Ten days
Question :

If during Ramadan I go on a trip to a particular place, and I make the intention that I will stay there for 10 days and will continue the fasting; if after 7 days I change my mind and return home, can I do so and are my fasts valid?

Answer :

If one intended to stay for ten days at the time of the travel, then he changed his mind afterwards and decided to go home before the completion of the ten days, then his fast is correct.

Intention to Fast
Question :

If I have an intention between midnight and dawn to make a long journey in the month of Ramadan, should I begin fasting after dawn?

Answer :

If the person intended before dawn to travel that day, and he travelled before zawal time (the time halfway between sunrise and sunset), it is permissible to break the fast during such a travel. If he did not break his fast during such a travel and came back before Zawal, he must renew the intention and continue the fast.
If he did not intend at night to travel but intended after dawn to travel, he is not permitted to break his fast and his fast in valid.

Travelling During the Holy Month
Question :

I travel often to another city which is around 180km away. Driving there and back makes me drowsy and tired, and fasting can make it more difficult to drive this distance. Can I skip the fasts during this journey and make up for it later?

Answer :

If in the normal course of your life or the nature of your work requires you to travel frequently to this distance, then you should fast in your travels. You could hire a driver or use a form of transportation that doesn’t require you to drive.
If you are not a frequent traveller, then your fast is invalidated by such travel while you are travelling, and you should make up for the missed fast later.

Fasting When Travelling
Question :

I travel once every week or two weeks to Abu Dhabi, which is around 400 km from my home. Is it necessary for me to fast? If I didn't keep the fast then what is the kaffara for that?

Answer :

You can break your fast and you do not have to pay kaffara.

Long Days of Ramadan
Question :

What is the ruling on one not being able to fast during Ramadan due to extremely long intensive working hours?

Answer :

If work leads to fatigue that prevents the individual from fasting, one should not work temporarily, work at night or find similar ways that one can maintain the ability to fast. A believer is urged to look for such alternative ways. Almighty Allah said: “And whosoever keeps his duty to Allah, Allah will appoint a way out for him, And will provide for him from (a quarter) whence he hath no expectation”. (65:2-3).
If one cannot obtain alternative ways, it is better to travel the Sharia-prescribed distance to be regarded as a traveler, so he can break his fast and make it up later when fasting is easier.

Difficulties of Fasting
Question :

I have a nine-year-old sister, and she cannot fast in Ramadan because she is weak, so does she have to fast?

Answer :

If she completed nine lunar years she must fast, unless fasting causes harm to her health.

Fasting when Travelling
Question :

If I travel to my brother-in-law's home which is 30 km away, can I keep fasting?

Answer :

Traveling this much makes one a traveler as defined by the Sharia, and this obligates the shortening of prayers and prevents one from fasting.

Fasting with One Kidney
Question :

I have one kidney, so the doctors have told me fasting during the whole month comes at great risk. However, I wish to still fast as much of the month as possible. How should I fast partially for it to be accepted, and what is the compensation for the days I cannot fast?

Answer :

You are not permitted to fast in the said case, nor is it valid if you did. Almighty Allah is All-Merciful, and since you like to fast, He shall reward you with the rewards of those who fast.
An amount of 900 grams of dates, wheat, flour, rice, lentils or the like for every missed fast must be given to the needy people as Fidya.

Hypertension
Question :

I have hypertension and to keep my blood pressure stable I need water and cannot stay for long periods without water. What should I do in the blessed month of Ramadan?

Answer :

If you fear that your health will be harmed by fasting, you are not obligated to fast, and you should make it up later when you can.

Fasting with Illnesses
Question :

A person who is diabetic, suffers from high blood pressure and high cholesterol, while taking medication for mental health disorders and anxiety with panic attacks. With all these health conditions and medications, is fasting obligatory upon such an individual?

Answer :

If fasting causes these illnesses to become more severe or causes new diseases, then one does not have to fast. But if this is not the case and the patient can take medications between sunset and sunrise, then he must fast.

Recommended Fasts
Question :

Is it possible to observe the non-obligatory fasts in the month of Sha’ban if a person has not undertaken the qadha fasts of the month of Ramadan?

Answer :

If one is still obligated to complete qadha fasts, then such fasting is not valid.