00:00Regarding the situation of a traveller, is it forbidden or optional for a traveller to fast?
00:12Allah says in the Quran, in Surah Baqarah, chapter number 2, verse number 185,
00:17that if you are ill or on a journey, the prescribed number of days for fasting can be made later on.
00:23So this is a concession given, that means if you want to fast, you can fast, if you want to exempt yourself, exempt, but later on you have to make up the period.
00:32Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala here has compared the traveller and kept him or her in the same category as the person who is ill.
00:40Because a beloved prophet said, it is mentioned in Sahih Bukhari, volume number 3, hadith number 1804, a beloved prophet said,
00:48that travelling is a punishment or when a person goes on a journey, it's like a punishment.
00:54That means it's difficult. He has to undergo many hardships.
00:58And it is mentioned in Sahih Bukhari, volume number 3, book of fasting, hadith number 1943.
01:08There was a sahaba within Hamza, may Allah be pleased with him, and he used to always fast even on a journey.
01:14So he asked the prophet that, should he fast on a journey or not?
01:18So the prophet said, if you wish to fast, you can fast. If you don't want to fast, you don't fast.
01:22That means it was optional. If a person wanted to fast, he could fast. If he didn't want, he need not fast.
01:28For example, if a person who is used to travelling, and he does not find any hardship, and if he fast, there is no problem, it's good for him.
01:36Or if a person feels hardship, and doesn't want to fast, then he need not fast.
01:43And this you come to know from the hadith of Hadith Anas Malawi, pleased with him.
01:46He said, it's mentioned in Sahih Bukhari, volume number 3, hadith number 1947, where Hadith Anas Malawi pleased with him.
01:53He saved. Then when we used to travel with the prophet, some of the companions, they fasted. Some of them did not fast.
02:02But those who kept the fast, did not criticise those who did not keep the fast. And those who did not fast, they did not criticise those who fasted.
02:12So basically, it's optional. Those who can take the strain and want to fast, they can. Those who don't want, it's up to them.
02:19Logically, from there, we can deduce that it's an optional fast.
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