Is it permissible for a Muslim to break his fast for the sake of exams?

The questioner : A third question regarding the rulings of fasting. There is a Muslim student who is studying. The time for his high school exams has arrived, and it is also the month of Ramadan. Did he break his fast for the sake of the exams?

The Shaykh : It is not permissible.

The questioner : What is required of him to do, I mean?

The Shaykh : What is required of him to do if he broke his fast, or what is required of him to do in order not to break his fast?

The questioner : If he broke his fast.

The Shaykh : If he broke his fast, he must repent to Allah (Mighty and Majestic) and not return to such fasting-breaking again, because this is a sin that cannot be expiated by making up the fast.

The questioner : It cannot be expiated?

The Shaykh : It cannot be expiated by making up the fast. Then, those who justify for themselves breaking the fast because of exams, they must reverse their study schedule. They should study at night and rest during the day, because the nature of a person, no matter how hard he works or how careful he is about passing the exam, it is not conceivable that he would keep studying day and night, correct?

The questioner : Yes, correct.

The Shaykh : He must sleep. So, if he studies at night, he does not sleep at night and break his fast during the day because he wants to study during the day. Rather, he fasts during the day and studies and strives at night, or for example, in part of the night. The most appropriate time, religiously and by nature, is after the Fajr prayer until the mid-morning, acting in accordance with his saying (peace and blessings be upon him) He strives and studies after the Fajr prayer for three or four hours until he feels he needs rest, then he sleeps. As for breaking the fast for the sake of studying, he should study at night, or during the day?

The questioner : No, because he felt weak during the day and feared he would fail the exam, and therefore he broke his fast, meaning he ate.

The Shaykh : Weakness, my brother, what you are describing is either a reality or an illusion. I mean, a person who is sick and has no studies is permitted to break his fast But as for one who feels weak, feels tired, but if he puts that tiredness at night and rests during the day, he does not feel the fast at all while he is sleeping. So the issue does not require anything but organizing matters. I mean, let us give a practical example today. Many students, regardless of Ramadan, when do they study? At night after 'Isha, and they may stay up until midnight, correct?

The questioner : Yes.

The Shaykh : So if they sleep at midnight, they cannot get up for the Fajr prayer, correct? When do they pray Fajr? After the sun rises. These people are told: reverse it and you will be correct. Pray 'Isha and sleep, then wake up after midnight, be active, and study until well after the sun rises, then they sleep to rest or work according to their jobs. As for staying up late and then sleeping through the Fajr prayer with the excuse, "By Allah, we were studying at night," do not make the study at the end of the night. By this method, you combine performing the Fajr prayer on time with preparing for the study that you are now struggling with. It is now one-thirty.

The questioner : ... .

The Shaykh : This is the nature of young men.

The questioner : May Allah reward you with good, O Shaykh... As is facilitated.

The Shaykh : What Allah willed. What is her name?

The questioner : Her name is Rajaa.

The Shaykh : A name that fits its bearer, if Allah wills. What Allah willed. How are you? What Allah willed. I seek protection for you with the perfect words of Allah from every Shaytan, wasp, and envious eye. How are you? What Allah willed. Take this before any harm befalls her.
Abu Layla : There is a question, O our Shaykh, but wait a little.

The Shaykh : This one, O Shaykh, may Allah guide you, do not wrong her. She is calm compared to the others. Do not wrong her.

The questioner : Our brother's question, O Shaykh, was not about studying, but rather about the time of the exam. Because he said "study," you understood "study" and answered about studying. He means the time of the exam, where a person breaks his fast during the day.

The Shaykh : Why?

The questioner : In order to take the exam.

The Shaykh : And this is an excuse worse than the sin.

The questioner : But that is his question, which did not reach you correctly.

The Shaykh : Good, if Allah wills. If you repeat the answer for this correct question.

The questioner : He said "study."

The Shaykh : This is not permissible, a fortiori.

The questioner : Out of fear of failing the exam and out of fear of weakness.

The Shaykh : The study that a student of knowledge does day and night to prepare to take the exam is harder, or after he has studied day and night and he requests to take the test and exam, which is harder? Is it not the first one? If the first one is not permissible for a Muslim to break his fast for, because we mentioned how the remedy is, then a fortiori, it is not permissible for him to break his fast because he wants to take the exam. Here, he must supplicate to Allah (Mighty and Majestic) and ask Him to expand his chest and strengthen his heart for steadfastness before the questions in which he will be tested.

The questioner : But he did not know that this would come at this level, because he does not know, I mean, Islam well, as they say.

The Shaykh : He does not know what?

The questioner : Because he is not religious, I mean, he does not have knowledge like all Muslims. He does not know the degrees of these matters that came to him, I mean.

The Shaykh : What is the difference, I mean, if he knows or does not know? What do you think is the difference, I mean?