The questioner says: On one of the days of the blessed month of Ramadan, the night came upon me while I was in the desert, and the time for breaking the fast was approaching, and I was nearly perishing from thirst.
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The questioner : On one of the days of the blessed month of Ramadan, the night came upon me while I was in the desert, and the time for breaking the fast was approaching, and I was nearly perishing from thirst and hunger. Suddenly, I found a man with provisions and water, so I asked him to give me something to satisfy my hunger. He refused with all obstinacy and determination to give me anything. What is the ruling on forcing him and taking the water and provisions from him, knowing that if I do not take from him, I will perish from hunger and thirst?
The Shaykh : The answer to this question is directed to both the questioner and the owner of the food and drink.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : As for the questioner, it is permissible for him to take from this food and drink by force, and he has the right to do so to save his life, because the other person is not in dire necessity for the food and drink he has, such that we would say that the necessity of the owner of the wealth is more deserving of being met than the necessity of the person who is outside of it. As for the direction or appeal to the owner of the food and drink, we say that it is forbidden for him to prevent one who is in dire necessity for the food and drink in his possession. It is forbidden for him to prevent him from consuming it. Rather, it is obligatory for him, as an individual obligation, to give it to him. In fact, some scholars say that if he refuses to give it to him and he dies, he becomes liable for it, because he transgressed, or rather, he was negligent in leaving what was obligatory upon him, which was to save this innocent man. If he is negligent in an obligation, he is liable for guaranteeing it.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : In any case, it is forbidden for a Muslim, if one of the Muslims is in dire necessity for the food, drink, or clothing he has, and he himself is not in dire necessity for it, to refuse to assist this person in dire necessity with what he has.
The questioner : Yes.
This is a message we received from the questioner, Noura Fahd. She says in her message: I am the questioner, Noura Fahd, from the outskirts of Riyadh. I am asking about several questions, the first of which is:
The Shaykh : The answer to this question is directed to both the questioner and the owner of the food and drink.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : As for the questioner, it is permissible for him to take from this food and drink by force, and he has the right to do so to save his life, because the other person is not in dire necessity for the food and drink he has, such that we would say that the necessity of the owner of the wealth is more deserving of being met than the necessity of the person who is outside of it. As for the direction or appeal to the owner of the food and drink, we say that it is forbidden for him to prevent one who is in dire necessity for the food and drink in his possession. It is forbidden for him to prevent him from consuming it. Rather, it is obligatory for him, as an individual obligation, to give it to him. In fact, some scholars say that if he refuses to give it to him and he dies, he becomes liable for it, because he transgressed, or rather, he was negligent in leaving what was obligatory upon him, which was to save this innocent man. If he is negligent in an obligation, he is liable for guaranteeing it.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : In any case, it is forbidden for a Muslim, if one of the Muslims is in dire necessity for the food, drink, or clothing he has, and he himself is not in dire necessity for it, to refuse to assist this person in dire necessity with what he has.
The questioner : Yes.
This is a message we received from the questioner, Noura Fahd. She says in her message: I am the questioner, Noura Fahd, from the outskirts of Riyadh. I am asking about several questions, the first of which is: