Al-Sharḥ al-Mumtiʿ - Ibn al-'Uthaymin - (6/328)

Al-Sharḥ al-MumtiʿIbn al-'Uthaymin

Which is better for the sick person and the traveller: that they fast or that they break their fast?

We say: what is better is for them to do whichever is easier. If fasting causes harm, then fasting is unlawful, due to the saying of Allah, Most High: “And do not kill yourselves. Surely Allah is Most Merciful to you.” [al-Nisa’ 4:29] This verse indicates that whatever harms a person is prohibited.

If someone says: “This refers only to killing, not to harm in general,” the response is: Yes, that is the apparent meaning of the verse. However, ‘Amr ibn al-‘As, may Allah be pleased with him, cited it as evidence that harm is to be avoided, and the Prophet ﷺ approved of this. The Prophet ﷺ had dispatched him with a military detachment, and he became in a state of major ritual impurity. He therefore performed dry ablution and did not bathe. The Prophet ﷺ said to him, “Did you lead your companions in prayer while you were in a state of major ritual impurity?” He replied, “O Messenger of Allah, I remembered the saying of Allah, Most High: ‘And do not kill yourselves. Surely Allah is Most Merciful to you.’ The night was cold, so I performed dry ablution.” The Messenger of Allah ﷺ smiled (1), thereby approving his action. This shows that the verse includes a prohibition against killing oneself and against everything that causes harm.

Accordingly, we say: if fasting harms the sick person, then fasting is unlawful for him.

If someone says: “What is the criterion for harm?” We say: harm may be known through direct experience, and it may also be known by reports. As for direct experience, it is when the sick person himself feels that fasting harms him, aggravates his pain, delays his recovery, and the like.

(1) Al-Bukhari cited it in a muallaq report, using a tentative form of transmission, in the Book of Tayammum, chapter: “If a person in a state of major ritual impurity fears illness or death for himself ...” Abu Dawud connected its chain in the Book of Purification, chapter: “If a person in a state of major ritual impurity fears the cold, may he perform tayammum?” (334); as did al-Daraqutni (1/178). It was authenticated by Ibn Hibban (1315) and al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar in Fath al-Bari.

وأيهما أفضل للمريض والمسافر أن يصوما، أو يفطرا؟ نقول: الأفضل أن يفعلا الأيسر، فإن كان في الصوم ضرر كان الصوم حراماً لقوله تعالى ﴿وَلَا تَقْتُلُوا أَنْفُسَكُمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ بِكُمْ رَحِيمًا﴾ [النساء: ٢٩] فإن هذه الآية تدل على أن ما كان ضرراً على الإنسان كان منهياً عنه. فإذا قال قائل: هذا في القتل فقط لا في مطلق الضرر؟ فالجواب: نعم هذا ظاهر الآية، لكن عمرو بن العاص ﵁ استدل بها على نفي الضرر فأقره النبي ﷺ على ذلك، وذلك أنه بعثه مع سرية فأجنب فتيمم ولم يغتسل، فقال له النبي ﷺ: «أصليت بأصحابك وأنت جنب؟» فقال: يا رسول الله ذكرت قول الله تعالى ﴿وَلَا تَقْتُلُوا أَنْفُسَكُمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ بِكُمْ رَحِيمًا﴾، وكانت الليلة باردة فتيممت، فضحك الرسول ﷺ (١) تقريراً لفعله، وهذا يدل على أن الآية تتضمن النهي عن قتل النفس، وكل ما كان فيه ضرر. وعليه فنقول: إذا كان الصوم يضر المريض كان الصوم حراماً عليه. فإذا قال قائل: ما مقياس الضرر؟ قلنا: إن الضرر يعلم بالحس، وقد يعلم بالخبر؛ أما بالحس فأن يشعر المريض بنفسه أن الصوم يضره، ويثير عليه الأوجاع، ويوجب تأخر البرء، وما أشبه ذلك.

(١) أخرجه البخاري معلقاً بصيغة التمريض في التيمم/ باب إذا خاف الجنب على نفسه المرض أو الموت … ، ووصله أبو داود في الطهارة/باب إذا خاف الجنب البرد أيتيمم؟ (٣٣٤)، والدارقطني (١/ ١٧٨) وصححه ابن حبان (١٣١٥) والحافظ في الفتح.