Is it permissible for the
mujaahideen to break their fast in Ramadaan? Please note that they are in
their own country and are not travelling.
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
Yes, it is permissible for the mujaahideen to break their fast in
Ramadaan, so that they will have strength for jihad, even if they are in their
own country, for fasting weakens their ability to fight and deal with the
enemy.
This is one of the two opinions of Imam Ahmad and was the view favoured
by Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah and his two students Ibn Muflih and Ibn
al-Qayyim, and other scholars. See al-Furoo’ by Ibn Muflih,
3/28
There is evidence narrated from the Prophet Page not found - Muslim Converts
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(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) that indicates that it is prescribed to break one’s fast because of
jihad.
Muslim (1120) narrated that Abu
Sa’eed al-Khudri (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: We traveled with the
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(peace and blessings
of Allaah be upon him) to Makkah – meaning at the Conquest of Makkah – and we
were fasting. We stopped to camp and the Messenger of Allaah Page not found - Muslim Converts
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(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) said: “You are approaching your enemy and breaking the fast will make you
stronger.” This was a concession, and some of us continued to fast and some of
us broke our fast. Then we stopped to camp again, and he said, “You are going
to meet your enemy in the morning, and breaking the fast will make you
stronger, so break your fast.” So we had no choice but to break our
fast.
Abu Dawood (2365) narrated that one of the companions of the Prophet Page not found - Muslim Converts
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(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) said: I saw the Messenger of Allaah (S) telling the people on a journey
in the year of the Conquest (of Makkah) to break their fast. He said, “Gain
strength to face your enemy.”
Al-Haafiz said in al-Talkhees al-Habeer: this was classed as
saheeh by al-Haakim and Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr
These two hadeeths indicate that
the command to break the fast was not because of travelling, rather it was in
order to gain strength for jihad.
It says in al-Muntaqa Sharh Muwatta’ al-Imam
Maalik:
The words “Gain strength to face
your enemy” indicate that this was the reason breaking the fast. If the reason
was travelling then he would not have explained it as being in order to gain
strength to face the enemy, rather he would have said it was because of
travelling.
Al-Manaawi said in Fayd al-Qadeer:
He said, “You are going to meet
your enemy in the morning.” According to another version, “You have come close
to your enemy…” From the fact that he gave the reason as their approaching the
enemy and their needing physical strength to meet their enemy, it may be
understood that in this case the fast was broken because of jihad, not because
of travelling. If the enemy attacked them in their own land [i.e., when they
were not travelling] and they needed physical strength, then it would be
permissible for them to break their fast, based on what is said, because that
is more necessary than breaking one's fast just because of
travelling.
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(peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) commanded them to break their fast when they got close to
their enemy so that they would have the strength to fight them. If such a
situation happened when they were not travelling, and breaking their fast
would make them stronger to face their enemy, would they be allowed to break
their fast? There are two opinions on this matter, the one which is based on
the soundest evidence is that they are allowed to do that. This is the view
favoured by Ibn Taymiyah, and this is the view stated in the fatwa he issued
to the Muslim troops when they met the enemy on the outskirts of Damascus.
Undoubtedly breaking the fast for that reason is more necessary than breaking
it for travelling alone, rather the fact that the traveller is allowed not to
fast alerts us to the fact that it is allowed in this situation (i.e., jihad),
for it is more apt that it be allowed in this case because physical strength
in that case only benefits the traveller himself, whereas in this case it
benefits the mujahid and the Muslims, and because the hardship of jihad is
greater than the hardship of travel, and because the interest served by the
mujahid not fasting is greater than the interest served by the traveller not
fasting. And Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“And make ready against them all you can of power”
[al-Anfaal 8:60]
Breaking one’s fast when meeting the enemy is one of the greatest means
of strength and power… and the Prophet
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(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) said, when they drew close to their enemy: “You are approaching your
enemy and breaking the fast will make you stronger.” This was a concession,
and some of us fasted and some of us broke our fast. Then we stopped to camp
again, and he said, “You are going to meet your enemy in the morning, and
breaking the fast will make you stronger, so break your fast.” So we had no
choice but to break our fast.
So he gave the reason that they
were approaching the enemy and they needed their physical strength to meet the
enemy. This is a reason other than travel. Travel is a separate reason in and
of itself, and he did not mention it or refer to it here. So in conclusion the
principles and wisdom of the Lawgiver dictate that breaking one's fast for the
purpose of jihad is more necessary than doing so simply because of travelling.
So how about if the reason is explained and stated clearly in the text? The
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(peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) insisted that they should break their fast for that reason, and this
is indicated by the report narrated by ‘Eesa ibn Yoonus from Shu’bah from ‘Amr
ibn Dinar who said: I heard Ibn ‘Umar say: The Messenger of Allaah Page not found - Muslim Converts
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(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) said to his companions on the day of the Conquest of Makkah: “This is a
day of fighting, so break your fast.” He named fighting as the reason, and
used the word “fa” (= so) when issuing the command to fight. From this wording
each of them understood that breaking the fast was for the purpose of
fighting.
And Allaah knows best.
The battle mentioned by Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allaah have mercy on him)
took place between the Muslims and the Tatars in 702 AH, and the Muslims were
the victors.
Ibn Katheer (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
He – meaning Ibn Taymiyah (may
Allaah have mercy on him) – issued a fatwa telling the people to break their
fast for the duration of the fighting, and he himself also broke his fast. He
used to go around among the soldiers and commanders, eating some food that he
had in his hand, to show them that it was better for them to break their fast
so that they would have more strength to fight. Then the people
ate.
