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What is the correct ruling for eating before Fajr during Ramadan?

Answered as per Hanafi Fiqh by Muftisays.com
asalam o alikum

I have to ask about a very serious problem pertaining to my fasts.I am a hanafi muslim and want an answer according to that.Now this the problem which refers to one being completely and innocently ignorant.It is a problem regarding to Ramadan fasts and the the missing ramadan fasts which are kept afterwards.Islam has a very humanistic approach and I want a correct answer to the problem as I am confused and worn away.I belong to Pakistan.Since my childhood my parents and their grand parents used to say that you can keep on eating until the Adhan of Fajar,till the last azan.Now in almost every ramadan I and my family used to eat And there are about 450 fasts which i kept like this including the qaza fasts.Now when I am an adult I am so depressed as a mufti sahib told me all your fasts are invalid as you should have concluded your eating at the start of adhan.It is now not humaly possible to keep all those fasts.I have got so low spirited that I have stopped fasting my remaining qaza fats as Allah have not accepted my previous fasts.I have given up!!! Then I turned to awebsite www.islam.qa.com which says that”It is obligatory for the fasting person to refrain from things which break the fast from the true dawn until the sun sets. What is means is when dawn breaks, not the adhaan. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“and eat and drink until the white thread (light) of dawn appears to you distinct from the black thread (darkness of night)”

I gained hope now another mufti sahib told me that Your fasts are not valid.What should I do now.Is there an alternate or I will have to keep All 450 fasts which I think is a great ordeal and now how can I do it.I mean are you not supposed to be given some compensation or the rule is that strict.
jazakallah khair

Answer
Bismillahir Rahmaanir Raheem
Al Jawaab Billahit-Tawfeeq

Firstly, make taubah to Allah for the fasts you have performed incorrectly. Insha Allah, Allah will forgive this mistake of yours.

Secondly, what is meant in the verse below:
‘…and eat and drink, until the white thread of dawn appear to you distinct from its black thread; then complete your fast Till the night appears…’ (Surah Al-Baqarah, verse 187), in terms of the white thread refers to subh saadiq (true dawn). As you have mentioned, a person is required to start fasting from subh saadiq till sunset (Ta’leemul Haq).

There are many ways to check the timings of subh saadiq and one of it is by looking at the sky to see whether one can sight the ‘white’ light spreading across the horizon from the eastern side. Another method is by the commencing of adhaan. When the adhaan is heard, that means subh saadiq has started, thus a person should stop eating and drinking. It does not mean that when the adhaan ends will the time of subh saadiq begin.

If none of these methods are available to a person, then he should consult the given timetable of the salaah times. Based on this, he will be able to see when Fajr starts and then cease the actions that will break a person’s fast then.

Since your actions only require qadhaa of the fasts that you have performed incorrectly, you will not need to make kaffarah (expiation). Fidyah (compensation) on the other hand, can only be given by very old people who have no strength to fast anymore or people with severe sickness and has no hope in recovering after Ramadhaan (Ta’leemul Haq). Other people are therefore not entitled to pay fidyah.

The best way for you to make up for your fasts is to strive on fasting during the sunnah days for a person to fast which are:

1) 9th and 10th of Muharram (2 days)
2) 13, 14 and 15th of every lunar month (33 days excluding Ramadhan)
3) 6 days of Shawwal (6 days)
4) Mondays and Thursdays (88 days excluding Ramadhan)

*Extracted the sunnah days of fasting from Nurul Idhoh

Insha Allah, you will be able to complete your qadhaa fast soon as long as you are determined and steadfast. If you calculate, you are able to complete your qadhaa fasts within 3 1/2 years insha Allah. A whole lot faster if on top of performing the recommended sunnah fast, you perform the fast of Nabi Dawood (‘alaihis salaam) – to fast every other day, and this is the most beloved fast to Allah Ta’ala.

May Allah make things easy for you.

And Allah knows best.

Wassalam.

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Binti Zahari

Original Source Link

This answer was collected from MuftiSays.com, based in London (UK). It is one of the fruits of Darul Uloom London. Many ‘ulama are involved in answering the Q&A on the site, including: Shaikul Hadeeth Mufti Umar Farooq Sahib, Mufti Saifur Rahman Sahib, Mufti Abdullah Patel Sahib, Maulana Qamruz Zaman Sahib, Mufti Abu Bakr Karolia Sahib.

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