Fatwa ID: 08311
Written by Alimah Aisha Qureshi
Question:
Salaams bro
Hope all is well.
Have a technical question about fasting – need your help please!
In Dubai, we are following Saudi. We are landing in Malaysia on Saturday 29th March and completing 29th fast. If Saudi says no 30th fast and Eid is on Sunday (which will be on the 29th fast for Malaysians as their Ramadhan started 1 day late) … What do I do? Do I keep an extra fast even though it is their 29 (but with intention that is fast 30) if that makes sense… or follow Saudi … Keep 29… wait a day… and then pray Eid Namaz with the Malaysian a day after Saudi?
Other situation is Saudi has 30 fast, they also have 30 fasts… but there will be a Day break between my Ramadhan finishing and the Malaysian’s Eid… as I can’t keep 31 for Ramadhan, right?!
I know it’s confusing.
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer:
JazakAllahu Khayran for reaching out – this is actually a very relevant question for many travellers during Ramadhan.
Fasting in Ramadhan is one of the five pillars of Islam, and its timing is based on the lunar calendar. With global travel, Muslims often find themselves observing the beginning and end of Ramadhan in different countries, which can result in differences in the number of days fasted. This situation raises valid questions about how many fasts one must complete, and whether a 30th fast is obligatory when moving between regions with different moon-sighting schedules.
If Saudi Arabia declares Eid on Sunday, you would have completed 29 fasts according to their calendar. However, Malaysia, having started Ramadhan a day later, will still be observing their 29th fast on Sunday.
In this case, you will be in a place where the people are fasting, and it is not permitted to celebrate Eid or break your fast openly while the local Muslim population is still fasting.
You should fast that day with the people of Malaysia, with the Niyyah (intention) that this is a voluntary fast (Nafl) if you’ve already completed 29 or 30 with Saudi. However, if you’ve only fasted 29 total, you should fast this as your 30th Ramadhan fast, completing the full month as commanded.
In this case, you’ve completed the full 30 days of Ramadhan, but you arrive in Malaysia where they are still fasting one more day before Eid.
Here, you do not fast on that day (as fasting more than 30 in Ramadhan is not permitted), but you also do not celebrate Eid until the local Eid day.
References:
حَدَّثَنَا آدَمُ، حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ زِيَادٍ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ يَقُولُ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَوْ قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو الْقَاسِمِ صلى الله عليه وسلم “ صُومُوا لِرُؤْيَتِهِ، وَأَفْطِرُوا لِرُؤْيَتِهِ، فَإِنْ غُبِّيَ عَلَيْكُمْ فَأَكْمِلُوا عِدَّةَ شَعْبَانَ ثَلاَثِينَ ”.
Sahih al-Bukhari 1909
عَنْ عَائِشَةَ رَضِيَ اَللَّهُ عَنْهَا قَالَتْ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اَللَّهِ - صلى الله عليه وسلم -{الْفِطْرُ يَوْمَ يُفْطِرُ اَلنَّاسُ, وَالْأَضْحَى يَوْمَ يُضَحِّي اَلنَّاسُ } رَوَاهُ اَلتِّرْمِذِيُّ 1 .
Tirmidhi Book 2, Hadith 410
Only Allah knows best.
Written by Alimah Aisha Qureshi
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham
