Fatwa ID: 06581
Answered by: Alimah Zainab Nakhuda
Question:
A woman went for umrah. Ramdhaan started on her last day so she fasted with Saudi. Now she is back home in South Africa and fasting with the ZA calendar. So now if South Africa has 30 days she will be getting 31 days. Does she fast with SA or after 30 days she can stop? She is also 5 months pregnant
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer:
The general principle is that the fasting person will follow the country/area that they are currently in. So yes, whilst this sister was in Saudi Arabia, it became Fardh for her to start fasting. And now that she is back in South Africa if the moon is not sighted after the 29th fast. The country is completing 30 fasts, it will be Fardh upon her to fast on this day as well, even if it means she will be fasting for 31 days, because she must follow the country she is currently in, i.e. South Africa, in their fasting.
Mufti Taqi Usmani Sahib DB discusses this Mas’alah in his book Fataawaa Usmani (Volume 2, page 176), where he mentions that his Father, Mufti Shafee’ Sahib RA had confirmed the above view which is mentioned in Ahsanul Fataawaa. His reasoning is that the “witnessing of Ramadhaan” is what makes the fasting Fardh upon a person. And because you are witnessing a fast of Ramadhaan in the second country (South Africa), it is now Fardh upon you to keep that fast, to the extent that if you end up not keeping that tight, you will have to do Qadhaa of it afterwards.1
In conclusion, yes, the sister will keep the 30th fast in South Africa.
As for her pregnancy, she must consult a pious, Muslim doctor, to determine whether or not it is safe and appropriate for her to keep the fasts. If they permit her to, then she will fast. And if they do not, then she will not fast as of now and will do Qadhaa of these missed fasts later on when she is able to.2
Only Allah knows best.
Written by Alimah Zainab Nakhuda
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham
References:
1 Fataawaa Usmani, page 176, volume 2, Maktabah Ma’aariful Quraan
2 Al Mukhtasar Al Qudoori, page 63-64, Maktabah Shamelah
والحامل والمرضع إذا خافتا على ولديهما أفطرتا وقضتا ولا فدية عليهما
