Zād al-Maʿād - Ibn al-Qayyim - (2/68)

Zād al-MaʿādIbn al-Qayyim

than the hardship of travel; because the benefit gained by a fighter from breaking his fast is greater than that gained by a traveller; and because Allah Most High says:

“escape (59). And prepare against them whatever you can” [al-Anfāl: 60].

Breaking the fast when confronting the enemy is among the greatest means of gaining strength. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, explained strength as archery (1), which cannot be practised effectively or achieve its purpose without the strength and support provided by breaking the fast and taking nourishment. Moreover, when the Companions drew near their enemy, the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, told them: “You have drawn near your enemy, and breaking your fast will give you greater strength.” This was a concession. Then they stopped at another place, and he said: “You will confront your enemy in the morning, and breaking your fast will give you greater strength, so break your fast.” This was a binding command (2). Thus, he gave as the reason their proximity to the enemy and their need for strength with which to confront them.

This is a reason distinct from travel, which is itself an independent ground for breaking the fast. He neither mentioned travel in his explanation nor alluded to it. To make it the reason, therefore, is to give weight to something the Lawgiver disregarded in this particular instance of breaking the fast. To disregard the strength needed to resist the enemy and take travel alone into account is to disregard what the Lawgiver took into account and cited as the reason.

In short, the Lawgiver’s indications and wisdom imply that breaking the fast for jihad is more justified than doing so merely for travel. How much more so when he pointed out the reason, drew attention to it, expressly stated the ruling arising from it, and firmly commanded them to break their fast on its account. This is also supported by the report narrated by ‘Īsā ibn Yūnus, from Shu‘bah, from ‘Amr ibn Dīnār, who said: I heard Ibn ‘Umar say: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said to his Companions on the day of the conquest of Mecca: “This is a day of fighting, so break your fast.” Sa‘īd ibn al-Rabī‘ also narrated this from Shu‘bah (3). Thus, he cited fighting as the reason and made the command to break the fast follow from it through the connective fa (“so”). Everyone understands

(1) Narrated by Muslim (1917) from ‘Uqba ibn ‘Āmir al-Juhanī (may Allah be pleased with him). (2) Narrated by Muslim (1120) from Abū Sa‘īd al-Khudrī (may Allah be pleased with him). (3) Narrated through both transmission routes by Muhammad ibn al-Muzaffar al-Baghdādī in Hadīth Shu‘ba (177, 176). ‘Abd al-Razzāq (9688) also narrated it through Shu‘ba, from ‘Amr ibn Dīnār, from ‘Ubayd ibn ‘Umayr, as a mursal report.

من مشقَّة السَّفر، ولأنَّ المصلحة الحاصلة بالفطر للمجاهد أعظم من المصلحة بفطر المسافر، ولأنَّ الله تعالى قال: ﴿يُعْجِزُونَ (٥٩) وَأَعِدُّوا لَهُمْ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُمْ﴾ [الأنفال: ٦٠]. والفطر عند اللِّقاء من أعظم أسباب القوَّة، والنَّبيُّ ﷺ فسَّر القوَّة بالرَّمي (١)، وهو لا يتمُّ ولا يحصل به مقصوده إلا بما يقوِّي ويُعِين عليه من الفطر والغذاء. ولأنَّ النَّبيَّ ﷺ قال للصَّحابة لمَّا دَنَوا من عدوِّهم: «إنَّكم قد دنوتم من عدوِّكم، والفطر أقوى لكم»، وكانت رخصةً، ثمَّ نزلوا منزلًا آخر فقال: «إنَّكم مُصبِّحو عدوِّكم، والفطر أقوى لكم فأفطِروا» وكانت عزيمةً (٢). فعلَّل بدنوِّهم من عدوِّهم واحتياجهم إلى القوَّة الَّتي يَلقَون بها العدوَّ. وهذا سببٌ آخر غير السَّفر، والسَّفر مستقلٌّ بنفسه، ولم يذكره في تعليله ولا أشار إليه، فالتَّعليل به اعتبارٌ لما ألغاه الشَّارع في هذا الفطر الخاصِّ، وإلغاء وصف القوَّة الَّتي يقاوم بها العدوُّ، واعتبار السَّفر المجرَّد إلغاءٌ لما اعتبره الشَّارع وعلَّل به. وبالجملة فتنبيه الشَّارع وحكمته يقتضي أنَّ الفطر لأجل الجهاد أولى منه لمجرَّد السَّفر، فكيف وقد أشار إلى العلَّة ونبَّه عليها وصرَّح بحكمها، وعزم عليهم بأن يفطروا لأجلها. ويدلُّ عليه ما رواه عيسى بن يونس، عن شعبة، عن عمرو بن دينارٍ، قال: سمعت ابن عمر يقول: قال رسول الله ﷺ لأصحابه يوم فتح مكَّة: «إنَّه يوم قتالٍ فأفْطِروا» تابعه سعيد بن الرَّبيع، عن شعبة (٣). فعلَّل بالقتال ورتَّب عليه الأمر بالفطر بحرف الفاء، وكلُّ أحدٍ يفهم

(١) رواه مسلم (١٩١٧) من حديث عقبة بن عامر الجهني ﵁ . (٢) رواه مسلم (١١٢٠) من حديث أبي سعيد الخدري ﵁ . (٣) رواه بالطريقين محمد بن المظفر البغدادي في «حديث شعبة» (١٧٧، ١٧٦)، ورواه عبد الرزاق (٩٦٨٨) من طريق شعبة عن عمرو بن دينارعن عبيد بن عمير مرسلًا.