Al-Sharḥ al-Mumtiʿ - Ibn al-'Uthaymin - (6/325)

Al-Sharḥ al-MumtiʿIbn al-'Uthaymin

the fact is that, when one considers the apparent meaning of the verse, it does not indicate what Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, interpreted from it. For the verse concerns those who are able to fast: “And upon those who are able to fast is a ransom: feeding a poor person. And whoever volunteers goodness, it is better for him; but fasting is better for you.” [al-Baqarah 2:184] It is clear that they are capable of fasting and are given the choice between fasting and the expiation. This was how the obligation of fasting was first revealed: people were given the choice—if they wished, they fasted; and if they wished, they broke the fast and fed others. This is established in the two Sahihs, from Salamah ibn al-Akwa', may Allah be pleased with him, who said: “When this verse was revealed: ‘And upon those who are able to fast is a ransom: feeding a poor person,’ whoever wished to break the fast and offer the ransom would do so, until the verse that came after it was revealed and abrogated it.” (1)

Yet Ibn Abbas’s profound understanding of jurisprudence and his knowledge of Quranic interpretation demonstrate the depth of his legal insight, may Allah be pleased with him. For the point indicated by the verse is that Allah, Most High, made the ransom an alternative to fasting for one who was able to fast: if he wished, he fasted, and if he wished, he fed others. Then this option was abrogated and fasting itself became obligatory. Thus, when a person is unable to fast, its alternative—the ransom—remains. Therefore, one whose incapacity is not expected to cease must feed one poor person for each day.

As for the manner of feeding, there are two ways:

The first is to prepare food and invite poor people to it, according to the number of days.

(1) Narrated by al-Bukhari in Tafsir, in the chapter on Allah's statement: “Whoever among you witnesses the month must fast it” (4507); and by Muslim in Fasting, in the chapter explaining the abrogation of Allah's statement: “And upon those who are able to fast is a ransom: feeding a poor person,” by His statement: “Whoever among you witnesses the month must fast it” (1145).

أنه بالنظر إلى ظاهر الآية ليس فيها دلالة على ما فسره ابن عباس ﵄؛ لأن الآية في الذين يطيقون الصوم ﴿وَعَلَى الَّذِينَ يُطِيقُونَهُ فِدْيَةٌ طَعَامُ مِسْكِينٍ فَمَنْ تَطَوَّعَ خَيْرًا فَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَهُ وَأَنْ تَصُومُوا خَيْرٌ لَكُمْ﴾ [البقرة: ١٨٤] وهذا واضح أنهم قادرون على الصوم، وهم مخيرون بين الصوم والفدية، وهذا أول ما نزل وجوب الصوم كان الناس مخيرين إن شاؤوا صاموا، وإن شاؤوا أفطروا وأطعموا، وهذا ما ثبت في الصحيحين عن سلمة بن الأكوع ﵁ قال: «لما نزلت هذه الآية: ﴿وَعَلَى الَّذِينَ يُطِيقُونَهُ فِدْيَةٌ طَعَامُ مِسْكِينٍ﴾ كان من أراد أن يفطر ويفتدي، حتى نزلت الآية التي بعدها فنسختها» (١). لكن غور فقه ابن عباس وعلمه بالتأويل يدل على عمق فقهه ﵁؛ لأن وجه الدلالة من الآية أن الله تعالى جعل الفدية عديلاً للصوم لمن قدر على الصوم، إن شاء صام وإن شاء أطعم، ثم نسخ التخيير إلى وجوب الصوم عينا، فإذا لم يقدر عليه بقي عديله وهو الفدية، فصار العاجز عجزاً لا يرجى زواله، يجب عليه الإطعام عن كل يوم مسكيناً. أما كيفية الإطعام، فله كيفيتان: الأولى: أن يصنع طعاماً فيدعو إليه المساكين بحسب الأيام

(١) أخرجه البخاري في التفسير/ باب: ﴿فَمَنْ شَهِدَ مِنْكُمُ الشَّهْرَ فَلْيَصُمْهُ﴾ (٤٥٠٧)؛ ومسلم في الصيام/ باب بيان نسخ قول الله تعالى: ﴿وَعَلَى الَّذِينَ يُطِيقُونَهُ فِدْيَةٌ طَعَامُ مِسْكِينٍ﴾ بقوله تعالى ﴿فَمَنْ شَهِدَ مِنْكُمُ الشَّهْرَ فَلْيَصُمْهُ﴾ (١١٤٥).