Is it permissible for a person residing in a country other than his own to break his fast during the month of Ramadan?

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Question:
This questioner says: I am Tawfiq from Yemen. What is the ruling on one who abandons fasting in Ramadan while he is away from his home?

Answer:
One should never abandon fasting in Ramadan, for it is one of the pillars of Islam. If it is easy for him to fast it in its proper time, that is what is obligatory. If he is unable to do so because he is sick or traveling, he must make up the days he did not fast due to travel or illness. Allah the Exalted said:

The month of Ramadhan [is that] in which was revealed the Qur'an, a guidance for the people and clear proofs of guidance and criterion.

شَهْرُ رَمَضَانَ الَّذِي أُنزِلَ فِيهِ الْقُرْآنُ هُدًى لِّلنَّاسِ وَبَيِّنَاتٍ مِّنَ الْهُدَىٰ وَالْفُرْقَانِ

[Al-Baqarah 2:185]

So whoever sights [the new moon of] the month

فَمَن شَهِدَ مِنكُمُ الشَّهْرَ

[Al-Baqarah 2:185]

meaning he is present and healthy, not sick

So whoever sights [the new moon of] the month, let him fast it; and whoever is ill or on a journey - then an equal number of other days.

فَمَن شَهِدَ مِنكُمُ الشَّهْرَ فَلْيَصُمْهُ وَمَن كَانَ مَرِيضًا أَوْ عَلَىٰ سَفَرٍ فَعِدَّةٌ مِّنْ أَيَّامٍ أُخَرَ

[Al-Baqarah 2:185]

If he breaks his fast for travel or for his illness, that is permissible for him if fasting is difficult for him, and he makes up the days he missed from other days.

Source قناة «العلامة الدكتور صالح الفوزان»، [3995] هل يجوز لمن يقيم في غير بلده أن يُفطر في شهر رمضان؟ - صالح الفوزان — youtube.com

The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.

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