On a Thursday, I was observing a voluntary fast. At lunchtime, a friend came to visit, so I served him lunch, intended to break my fast, and ate with him. I have heard that this is a recommended practice (sunnah). Is this correct?
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The questioner : On a Thursday, I was observing a voluntary fast. At lunchtime, a friend came to visit, so I served him lunch, intended to break my fast, and ate with him. I have heard that this is a recommended practice (sunnah). Is this correct? Should I continue eating and drinking, or should I abstain until night? What should I do? Please inform us of what Allah has taught you.
The Shaykh : If a person eats on a day when he is fasting, his fast becomes invalid and cannot be valid, except if it happens out of forgetfulness or ignorance. If it happens out of forgetfulness or ignorance, his fast is complete, based on the authentic hadith of Abu Hurayrah from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), who said:Sahih Muslim 1155 Similarly, if he was ignorant, such as thinking the sun had set and then eating, but it turns out it had not set, his fast is valid and he does not have to make it up. This is based on what al-Bukhari narrated from Asma bint Abi Bakr (may Allah be pleased with her and her father), who said: "We broke our fast during the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) on a cloudy day, and then the sun appeared, but the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not order them to make it up." If making it up had been obligatory, he would have ordered them to do so. And if he had ordered them to do so, it would have been transmitted, because the Shari'ah, praise be to Allah, is preserved, and nothing can be lost from it.
The conclusion is that breaking your fast with this friend who came to visit you, and you broke your fast when you served him lunch, is permissible and there is no blame on you. This is because a voluntary fast, if a person wishes, he completes it, and if he wishes, he breaks it.
The questioner : May Allah bless you, O honorable Shaykh. This is a message received by the program from the listener Majdi Salah Muhammad, an Egyptian residing in Jordan...
The Shaykh : Yes, and...
The questioner : Yes, please go ahead.
The Shaykh : I say, if Allah wills, I will complete it, and if Allah wills, I will break it. However, it is better to complete it and not break it except for a valid reason.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : We move on to a message sent by the listener Majdi Salah Muhammad, an Egyptian residing in Jordan. He says in his message:
The Shaykh : If a person eats on a day when he is fasting, his fast becomes invalid and cannot be valid, except if it happens out of forgetfulness or ignorance. If it happens out of forgetfulness or ignorance, his fast is complete, based on the authentic hadith of Abu Hurayrah from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), who said:
If anyone forgets that he is fasting and eats or drinks he should complete his fast, for it is only Allah Who has fed him and given him drink.
من نسي وهو صائم فأكل أو شرب فليُتم صومه، فإنما أطعمه الله وسقاهThe conclusion is that breaking your fast with this friend who came to visit you, and you broke your fast when you served him lunch, is permissible and there is no blame on you. This is because a voluntary fast, if a person wishes, he completes it, and if he wishes, he breaks it.
The questioner : May Allah bless you, O honorable Shaykh. This is a message received by the program from the listener Majdi Salah Muhammad, an Egyptian residing in Jordan...
The Shaykh : Yes, and...
The questioner : Yes, please go ahead.
The Shaykh : I say, if Allah wills, I will complete it, and if Allah wills, I will break it. However, it is better to complete it and not break it except for a valid reason.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : We move on to a message sent by the listener Majdi Salah Muhammad, an Egyptian residing in Jordan. He says in his message: