Among the innovations: breaking the fast in the last days of Ramadan before sunset when a child has died
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Praise be to Allah alone, and may prayers and peace be upon the one after whom there is no prophet. And after that: The Permanent Committee for Scholarly Research and Ifta has reviewed what was sent to His Eminence the Grand Mufti from the questioner: the honorable judge of the Balasamr court, number (1163), dated 12/9/1425 AH, and referred to the Committee by the General Secretariat of the Council of Senior Scholars, number (5593), dated 7/10/1425 AH. The questioner asked a question, the text of which is: One of the brothers asked me the attached question, which is: There is a custom among their fathers that when their children die, they break their fast in the last days of Ramadan shortly before sunset, on the pretext that their departed children are waiting for the iftar. He asks: Do their heirs have any obligation regarding making up the fast for them or feeding people for these days? I hope you will graciously review this and issue a ruling on his question. May Allah preserve you.
After studying the fatwa, the Committee responded that this practice performed by the people mentioned is among the superstitions that have no basis in the pure Shari'ah. And whoever breaks his fast before sunset, it is obligatory for him to make it up; for Allah the Exalted said:
[Al-Baqarah 2:187], and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Riyad as-Salihin 1236. And as for those mentioned, whoever among them is alive, he must make up the fast and feed one poor person for each day for the delay. And whoever among them is dead, it is recommended for his guardian to fast on his behalf, based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): Riyad as-Salihin 1858, along with feeding people for the delay from his estate.
After studying the fatwa, the Committee responded that this practice performed by the people mentioned is among the superstitions that have no basis in the pure Shari'ah. And whoever breaks his fast before sunset, it is obligatory for him to make it up; for Allah the Exalted said:
Then complete the fast until the sunset
ثُمَّ أَتِمُّوا الصِّيَامَ إِلَى اللَّيْلِWhen the night approaches from this side (i.e., the east) and the day retreats from that side (i.e., west) and the sun sets, then it is time for a person observing Saum (fasting) to break his fast.
أقبل الليل من ههنا ، وأدبر النهار من ههنا ، وغربت الشمس فقد أفطر الصائمIf a person dies without observing Saum (fasts), his Wali should make it up on his behalf.
من مات وعليه صوم صام عنه وليه
Source
www.alifta.gov.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.