Knowledge and its evidence.
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The Shaykh : Knowledge and its opposite, ignorance, are of two types: ignorance of the Shari'ah ruling, and ignorance of the reality. An example of ignorance of the Shari'ah ruling is a fasting man who performed cupping and blood came out, but he did not know that cupping breaks the fast; he did not know that cupping invalidates the fast. So he came to ask. What do we say to him? We say: Your fast is valid. Why? Because he is ignorant. Is he ignorant of the Shari'ah or ignorant of the reality? He is ignorant of the Shari'ah, so his fast is not invalidated. What is the evidence? The evidence is the generality of the saying of Allah the Exalted: [Al-Baqarah 2:286] So I say to this man: Complete your fast, and your fast is accepted. I say this with confidence because Allah says: [Al-Baqarah 2:286] And Allah said: "I have done it." And He the Exalted said: [Al-Ahzab 33:5] This man did not do it intentionally; if he had known that cupping breaks the fast, he would not have done it. Now, a man was fasting and the sky was cloudy. He was convinced in his mind that the sun had set, so he ate and drank. Then the clouds cleared, and the sun had not set. What do we say? Your fast is valid, because he is ignorant of the reality; he did not know that the day was still remaining. If he had known that the day was still remaining, he would not have broken his fast, nor eaten, nor drunk. If someone says: Is not the original state the continuation of the day? The answer is yes, but he has the dispensation to break his fast if he is convinced that night has entered, even if we did not say that, the person would remain, if the sky is cloudy, not breaking his fast until it becomes very dark. It is established from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said: Sahih al-Bukhari 1954 Then we say: Did not this man eat and drink by mistake? The answer is: Or intentionally? By mistake, because if he had known that the sun had not set, he would not have eaten. Then, thirdly, it is established in Sahih al-Bukhari from Asma' bint Abi Bakr that she said: Did they break their fast with certainty or with assumption?
The student: With assumption.
The student: With certainty.
The Shaykh : Glory be to Allah, some people are timid; when they say the correct thing, and then you make them realize they are wrong, they back down. Did the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) and his Companions break their fast with certainty or with assumption? My brothers, think for a moment: if it were with certainty, is it possible for the sun to rise after it has set? I ask you: it is not possible. So they broke their fast with assumption because the sky was cloudy. If it were with certainty, it would not be possible for the sun to rise a second time. So they broke their fast with assumption, and then the sun rose after they had broken their fast, and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not order them to make up the fast.
He did not order them to make up the fast. Abstaining is fine, there is no problem with that, but he did not order them to make up the fast. If a person says: Perhaps he ordered them to make up the fast, we say: If he had ordered them to make up the fast, the order to make up the fast would have been transmitted, just as the situation was transmitted, because this is one case that must be transmitted in its entirety. If the Messenger had ordered them to make up the fast, it would have been transmitted, because if he ordered them to make up the fast, the making up of the fast would become part of what? If he ordered them to make up the fast, the making up of the fast would become part of the Shari'ah, and the Shari'ah must be transmitted; it is absolutely impossible for it to be neglected. And by this we know that a person who makes a mistake regarding the reality, or is ignorant of the reality, does not invalidate his fast, even if he did something that breaks the fast. Now, a man got up at night and looked at the clock, and you know that the clock sometimes goes wrong, isn't that right? So he looked at it, and the clock was at three and a half. How much time is left until the time?
The student: An hour and a half.
The Shaykh : Let's say an hour, an hour is left. So he brought the pre-dawn meal and ate the pre-dawn meal and went out. When he went out, he found that the people had already gone out from the Fajr prayer. What is upon him? Nothing is upon him; his fasting is complete. Why? Because he is ignorant of the time. Because he is ignorant of the time.
Our Lord, do not impose blame upon us if we have forgotten or erred.
ربنا لا تؤاخذنا إن نسينا أو أخطأناOur Lord, do not impose blame upon us if we have forgotten or erred.
ربنا لا تؤاخذنا إن نسينا أو أخطأناAnd there is no blame upon you for that in which you have erred but [only for] what your hearts intended
وليس عليكم جناح فيما أخطأتم به ولكن ما تعمدت قلوبكمWhen night falls from this side and the day vanishes from this side and the sun sets, then the fasting person should break his fast.
إذا أقبل الليل من ها هنا وأدبر النهار من ها هنا وغربت الشمس فقد أفطر الصائمWe broke our fast on a cloudy day during the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), then the sun rose
أفطرنا في يوم غيم على عهد النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم ثم طلعت الشمسThe student: With assumption.
The student: With certainty.
The Shaykh : Glory be to Allah, some people are timid; when they say the correct thing, and then you make them realize they are wrong, they back down. Did the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) and his Companions break their fast with certainty or with assumption? My brothers, think for a moment: if it were with certainty, is it possible for the sun to rise after it has set? I ask you: it is not possible. So they broke their fast with assumption because the sky was cloudy. If it were with certainty, it would not be possible for the sun to rise a second time. So they broke their fast with assumption, and then the sun rose after they had broken their fast, and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not order them to make up the fast.
He did not order them to make up the fast. Abstaining is fine, there is no problem with that, but he did not order them to make up the fast. If a person says: Perhaps he ordered them to make up the fast, we say: If he had ordered them to make up the fast, the order to make up the fast would have been transmitted, just as the situation was transmitted, because this is one case that must be transmitted in its entirety. If the Messenger had ordered them to make up the fast, it would have been transmitted, because if he ordered them to make up the fast, the making up of the fast would become part of what? If he ordered them to make up the fast, the making up of the fast would become part of the Shari'ah, and the Shari'ah must be transmitted; it is absolutely impossible for it to be neglected. And by this we know that a person who makes a mistake regarding the reality, or is ignorant of the reality, does not invalidate his fast, even if he did something that breaks the fast. Now, a man got up at night and looked at the clock, and you know that the clock sometimes goes wrong, isn't that right? So he looked at it, and the clock was at three and a half. How much time is left until the time?
The student: An hour and a half.
The Shaykh : Let's say an hour, an hour is left. So he brought the pre-dawn meal and ate the pre-dawn meal and went out. When he went out, he found that the people had already gone out from the Fajr prayer. What is upon him? Nothing is upon him; his fasting is complete. Why? Because he is ignorant of the time. Because he is ignorant of the time.