The ruling on breaking the fast of one who is fasting voluntarily
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What is the ruling on changing the intention in a voluntary act of worship, such as a person who, for example, fasts on Monday, then breaks his fast in the middle of the day? What is the ruling on that? And does he commit a sin by doing so?The Shaykh: Say: What is the ruling on breaking the fast of one who is fasting voluntarily? This is not changing the intention; this is breaking the fast.
The questioner: Or in voluntary acts of worship in general, changing the intention. The Shaykh: We come to breaking the fast. If a person fasts voluntarily, there is no blame on him if he breaks his fast, but it is better that he not break it except for a purpose, either because he sees that he is tired, or because guests have come who are not pleased unless they eat with him, or something similar to that. Otherwise, let him continue.
And likewise the rest of the voluntary acts, such as if one begins a voluntary prayer and guests arrive while he is in the middle of the prayer, let him break it off, and there is no harm. However, Hajj and 'Umrah are excluded from this. If a person begins Hajj and 'Umrah, even if they are voluntary, it is obligatory for him to complete them;By the saying of Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He): [al-Baqarah: 196] This verse was revealed at al-Hudaybiyyah before Hajj was made obligatory, so this indicates that it is necessary to complete Hajj and 'Umrah.
So the rule now is: That anyone who begins a voluntary act is permitted to break it off, but it is better that he not break it off except for an excuse, except for Hajj and 'Umrah, for which it is obligatory for him to complete them.
What is the ruling on changing the intention in a voluntary act of worship, such as a person who, for example, fasts on Monday, then breaks his fast in the middle of the day? What is the ruling on that? And does he commit a sin by doing so?The Shaykh: Say: What is the ruling on breaking the fast of one who is fasting voluntarily? This is not changing the intention; this is breaking the fast.
The questioner: Or in voluntary acts of worship in general, changing the intention. The Shaykh: We come to breaking the fast. If a person fasts voluntarily, there is no blame on him if he breaks his fast, but it is better that he not break it except for a purpose, either because he sees that he is tired, or because guests have come who are not pleased unless they eat with him, or something similar to that. Otherwise, let him continue.
And likewise the rest of the voluntary acts, such as if one begins a voluntary prayer and guests arrive while he is in the middle of the prayer, let him break it off, and there is no harm. However, Hajj and 'Umrah are excluded from this. If a person begins Hajj and 'Umrah, even if they are voluntary, it is obligatory for him to complete them;By the saying of Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He):
And complete the Hajj and 'umrah for Allah
وَأَتِمُّوا الْحَجَّ وَالْعُمْرَةَ لِلَّهِSo the rule now is: That anyone who begins a voluntary act is permitted to break it off, but it is better that he not break it off except for an excuse, except for Hajj and 'Umrah, for which it is obligatory for him to complete them.