A man saw a man eating out of forgetfulness while he was fasting; should he remind him or leave him?
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The questioner : In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
Peace be upon you, and Allah's mercy and blessings.
The Shaykh : And upon you be peace, and Allah's mercy and blessings.
The questioner : So what is the ruling for one who sees a fasting person breaking his fast while he is forgetful, meaning he breaks his fast while he is forgetful, and he informs him that he is fasting; should he leave him or inform him?
The Shaykh : This question says: If one sees a fasting person eating or drinking while he is forgetful, should he remind him or not remind him?
This is also a matter that falls under a general rule: If you see your brother doing something that invalidates his worship while he is forgetful, you must remind him; you must remind him. So if a fasting person is eating or drinking while he is forgetful, remind him and say: "You are fasting." And if you see a person standing for the fifth rak'ah in the midday prayer and you are certain, alert him. If you see a person praying in a direction other than the qiblah, direct him, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: and he said: Sunan an-Nasa'i 2560Sahih (Darussalam) and Allah the Exalted said: [Al-Ma'idah 5:2] So if we see any person doing something that invalidates the worship, it is obligatory for us to remind him, even if the mouthful is in his mouth, we remind him and he spits it out. Do you understand now?
Meaning, if you see a person now praying in a direction other than the qiblah, do you leave him?
The questioner : No.
The Shaykh : No, you direct him. So if we see a person eating or drinking while he is fasting, we remind him.
The questioner : Shaykh, I heard that you leave him until he is full, for Allah has fed him and given him drink, and you inform him afterwards?
The Shaykh : Yes?
The questioner : I say: You leave him until he finishes and then inform him, for Allah has fed him and given him drink.
The Shaykh : This is ignorance; this is an ignorant person. The one who says this is ignorant, because Allah has fed him and given him drink in consideration of himself, because he is forgetful. But you are knowledgeable, so you must forbid the evil. This is like the one who says: If you see a cat taking a person's pigeon, do not rescue it from it, because this is the cat's provision. Do you know what the cat is?
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Yes, is this correct? The cat, Allah provided for it, and it came to it with a pigeon to eat. We say: No, do not rescue it from it, let it eat it, because this is its provision? It is not correct.
The questioner : ...
The Shaykh : It may be so. The point is that this is some of the common people; in their name, they are beasts; they have no knowledge of the Shari'ah and no knowledge of reality. For this reason, we say: Whenever you see your brother doing something that invalidates his worship, you must remind him, whether it is fasting or not.
Peace be upon you, and Allah's mercy and blessings.
The Shaykh : And upon you be peace, and Allah's mercy and blessings.
The questioner : So what is the ruling for one who sees a fasting person breaking his fast while he is forgetful, meaning he breaks his fast while he is forgetful, and he informs him that he is fasting; should he leave him or inform him?
The Shaykh : This question says: If one sees a fasting person eating or drinking while he is forgetful, should he remind him or not remind him?
This is also a matter that falls under a general rule: If you see your brother doing something that invalidates his worship while he is forgetful, you must remind him; you must remind him. So if a fasting person is eating or drinking while he is forgetful, remind him and say: "You are fasting." And if you see a person standing for the fifth rak'ah in the midday prayer and you are certain, alert him. If you see a person praying in a direction other than the qiblah, direct him, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
The Muslim is the brother of the Muslim
المسلم أخو المسلمThe believers are like a building they support one another.
المؤمن للمؤمن كالبنيان يشد بعضه بعضاًAnd cooperate in righteousness and piety, but do not cooperate in sin and aggression.
وَتَعَاوَنُوا عَلَى الْبِرِّ وَالتَّقْوَى وَلا تَعَاوَنُوا عَلَى الْإثْمِ وَالْعُدْوَانِMeaning, if you see a person now praying in a direction other than the qiblah, do you leave him?
The questioner : No.
The Shaykh : No, you direct him. So if we see a person eating or drinking while he is fasting, we remind him.
The questioner : Shaykh, I heard that you leave him until he is full, for Allah has fed him and given him drink, and you inform him afterwards?
The Shaykh : Yes?
The questioner : I say: You leave him until he finishes and then inform him, for Allah has fed him and given him drink.
The Shaykh : This is ignorance; this is an ignorant person. The one who says this is ignorant, because Allah has fed him and given him drink in consideration of himself, because he is forgetful. But you are knowledgeable, so you must forbid the evil. This is like the one who says: If you see a cat taking a person's pigeon, do not rescue it from it, because this is the cat's provision. Do you know what the cat is?
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Yes, is this correct? The cat, Allah provided for it, and it came to it with a pigeon to eat. We say: No, do not rescue it from it, let it eat it, because this is its provision? It is not correct.
The questioner : ...
The Shaykh : It may be so. The point is that this is some of the common people; in their name, they are beasts; they have no knowledge of the Shari'ah and no knowledge of reality. For this reason, we say: Whenever you see your brother doing something that invalidates his worship, you must remind him, whether it is fasting or not.