What is the ruling on voluntary fasting for a worker who neglects his work for the sake of his fast?
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The questioner : May Allah reward you. A questioner says: Sometimes I fast on Mondays and Thursdays, and I make the intention to fast at night. In the morning, I go to my work, but on some days I feel tired and sleepy, which forces me to break my fast. Is that permissible for me?
The Shaykh : First, we say to the person who has an official job: if his fasting interferes with his work, then his fasting is forbidden, whether it is Monday, Thursday, or the white days. Why? Because performing the duties of the job is obligatory, and voluntary fasting is not obligatory. A person cannot neglect an obligation for the sake of doing a recommended practice. This is a point where many people make a mistake; they are lax in performing the obligatory and do the recommended practice. They are like those who build a palace and demolish a fortress, and this is an error.
As for the person who has the strength to bear thirst and hunger, or if it is in the days of winter when the day is short and the weather is cold, and it does not affect his work, let him fast. And the answer to the question: We have now mentioned a general rule, but the answer to the question is: this man who found in himself laziness and weakness in performing the obligatory duty, we say: break your fast, and it is obligatory for you to break your fast and perform the obligatory work. Yes.
The Shaykh : First, we say to the person who has an official job: if his fasting interferes with his work, then his fasting is forbidden, whether it is Monday, Thursday, or the white days. Why? Because performing the duties of the job is obligatory, and voluntary fasting is not obligatory. A person cannot neglect an obligation for the sake of doing a recommended practice. This is a point where many people make a mistake; they are lax in performing the obligatory and do the recommended practice. They are like those who build a palace and demolish a fortress, and this is an error.
As for the person who has the strength to bear thirst and hunger, or if it is in the days of winter when the day is short and the weather is cold, and it does not affect his work, let him fast. And the answer to the question: We have now mentioned a general rule, but the answer to the question is: this man who found in himself laziness and weakness in performing the obligatory duty, we say: break your fast, and it is obligatory for you to break your fast and perform the obligatory work. Yes.