What is the meaning of the saying of Allah the Exalted: “And upon those who are able to do it is a ransom of feeding a poor person, and whoever volunteers good, it is better for him, and fasting is better for you if you know”?
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The questioner : What is the meaning of the saying of Allah the Exalted: [Al-Baqarah 2:184] Please explain this verse to us, may Allah bless you?
The Shaykh : The meaning of this noble verse is that when Allah the Exalted first made fasting obligatory, He gave the choice to the one fasting: if he wished, he would fast, and if he wished, he would feed. So He said:[Al-Baqarah 2:183-184] Thus, the person was given the choice between paying a ransom of feeding a poor person for each day, and fasting. However, Allah the Exalted encouraged fasting, so He said: [Al-Baqarah 2:184].
Then the verse was revealed after that:[Al-Baqarah 2:185] This verse was revealed after that, making fasting an individual obligation, and it is not permissible for a person to feed [others] while he is able to fast, as established in the two Sahihs from the hadith of Salama ibn al-Akwa' (may Allah be pleased with him).
The questioner : May Allah bless you.
And upon those who are able [to fast, but with hardship] - a ransom [as substitute] of feeding a poor person [each day]. And whoever volunteers excess - it is better for him. But to fast is best for you, if you only knew.
وَعَلَى الَّذِينَ يُطِيقُونَهُ فِدْيَةٌ طَعَامُ مِسْكِينٍ فَمَنْ تَطَوَّعَ خَيْرًا فَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَهُ وَأَنْ تَصُومُوا خَيْرٌ لَكُمْ إِنْ كُنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونThe Shaykh : The meaning of this noble verse is that when Allah the Exalted first made fasting obligatory, He gave the choice to the one fasting: if he wished, he would fast, and if he wished, he would feed. So He said:
(183) O you who have believed, decreed upon you is fasting as it was decreed upon those before you that you may become righteous - (184) [Fasting for] a limited number of days. So whoever among you is ill or on a journey [during them] - then an equal number of days [are to be made up]. And upon those who are able [to fast, but with hardship] - a ransom [as substitute] of feeding a poor person [each day]. And whoever volunteers excess - it is better for him. But to fast is best for you, if you only knew.
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الصِّيَامُ كَمَا كُتِبَ عَلَى الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ * أَيَّامًا مَعْدُودَاتٍ فَمَنْ كَانَ مِنْكُمْ مَرِيضًا أَوْ عَلَى سَفَرٍ فَعِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَيَّامٍ أُخَرَ وَعَلَى الَّذِينَ يُطِيقُونَهُ فِدْيَةٌ طَعَامُ مِسْكِينٍ فَمَنْ تَطَوَّعَ خَيْرًا فَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَهُ وَأَنْ تَصُومُوا خَيْرٌ لَكُمْ إِنْ كُنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَBut to fast is best for you
وَأَنْ تَصُومُوا خَيْرٌ لَكُمْThen the verse was revealed after that:
The month of Ramadhan [is that] in which was revealed the Qur'an, a guidance for the people and clear proofs of guidance and criterion. So whoever sights [the new moon of] the month, let him fast it; and whoever is ill or on a journey - then an equal number of other days
شَهْرُ رَمَضَانَ الَّذِي أُنزِلَ فِيهِ الْقُرْآنُ هُدًى لِلنَّاسِ وَبَيِّنَاتٍ مِنَ الْهُدَى وَالْفُرْقَانِ فَمَنْ شَهِدَ مِنْكُمُ الشَّهْرَ فَلْيَصُمْهُ وَمَنْ كَانَ مَرِيضًا أَوْ عَلَى سَفَرٍ فَعِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَيَّامٍ أُخَرَThe questioner : May Allah bless you.