Bismihi Ta`ala

 *TRAVELLERS`S DIARY Page 5-RAMADHAAN TIPS:* 

Travelling during Ramadhaan is permissible as per shariah. Going in the path of Allah during Ramadhaan is sunnah. Besides the legislation on salaah, the Qur-aan formulate the legislation of fasting(Ramadhaan) during travelling:‘’O you who believe, the fasts have been enjoined upon you….However, should any one of you be sick or on a journey, then(he should fast) a number of other days(equal to the missed ones);…However that you fast is better for you, if you only knew.’’(2:183-184) The Coranic ayah brings permission for a traveller not to start fast. But still encourage a traveller to do fast Ramadhaan as the virtues are not comparable. Still the Qur-aan does not give permission to a traveller to break his fasts during travelling.And if a traveller already traveling at sehri time, choose not to fast, then he has to replace his fasts after Ramadhaan. => Important to know that you need to complete a fast if you are at sehri time in your home town. So if you are leaving your city after sehri, then it is farz for you to fast that time. And also it is not permissible for you to break that fast during travelling. The Qur-aan mentions permission not to start fast during travelling but does not allow to break fast during travelling.(Shami) If broken during travelling, then no Kaffarah, only qaza wajib.    => Remember that if someone who is a traveller comes back to fetch something in his hometown during Ramadhaan and now breaks his fast in his hometown, then Qaza and Kaffarah is applicable. Kaffarah is to fast 60 consecutive days. => If a traveller started his fast during travelling and now decides to break his fast, then only qaza wajib. (Radul Muhtar). => When returning from a journey, if a traveller was not fasting, then when he enters his hometown or the place he will stay 15 days or more, then he has to stay away from food and drinks until sunset. And still he would have to replace that fast. If he did not eat or drink anything from sehri time and arrived before Zawaal to his home town, then he has no option but to fast that day.   Remember that sehri time is the actual sehri time of your particular location at that time. So if you are on the plane, then you have to look outside the window as to when the dawn starts. The first horizontal light that appears on the horizon is the sehri time. You may find an approximate time by locating your plane to the country you are nearest to. Find that country`s sehri time from net. If your plane is at maximum altitude, then minus 15 minutes from that time. For Maghrib, add 15 minutes for iftaar. Your iftaar is when you are seeing actually on the plane that the sun has set or the time calculated as per nearest country to the ground as above.Note that we have taken precaution by mentioning 15 minutes as plane velocity or speed may surprise us on time schedules. When in doubt, then be more safe with precautionary times. There are applications on smart phones now for on plane schedules  Ask permission to read farz salaah standing on the plane. Calculate qiblah as per the trajectory of the plane that you see on the screen as to Makkah. And know that you may read nafil sitting on your chair, without qibla direction. But it is farz to stand in a farz salaah and important to calculate qiblah. For salaah during a journey, you need Time of Salaah, Wouzu, Qiblah, Standing for salaah, 4 feet of dry place and no shame or hesitation.Once in a plane, know that you are under the supervision and authority of the plane crew. On a similitude analysis, the beloved prophet SAW wanted to do salaah inside the Ka`bah before leaving Makkah. Reported in Ibn Sa`d that Uthman bin Talha (not yet muslim) was responsible for the Ka`bah key and he prevented the prophet SAW from entering. The prophet SAW abide to his decision and did not revolt.
As such, when salaah time comes, the traveller would stand up, do wouzu in the toilets and ask permission from the plane crew for a 3 minutes salaah by the available space. Without azaan and iqaamah, and reading alone and not with Jamaat, one would face qiblah standing and making sajdah on the dry plane floor or blanket or musalla. Sometimes we would be in front of people sitting, etc but still go forward and accomplish the obligation of salaah as it is farz and compulsory. The reason for a brief salaah is to enhance the facility and also the permission for other travellers. At times, the beloved prophet SAW read Falaq and Naas in Fajr also.(Baihaqi) If you are in business class, then the area in front of your seat is sufficient for salaah. More on details of salaah during travelling on islam-qna.org.If it happens that if you asked the crew member politely for 3 minutes free space and they refused then pray your salaah on your seat. No insistence, bad comments or remarks should be made towards them. But since Qiblah and Standing are core conditions for salaah, then you will need to repeat the salaah when on ground. Should be repeated 2 rakaats only, even if reached home. *Travellers should note also*: You will not celebrate `Eid until people around you celebrate `Eid. This implies that one has to fast even the 31st or 32th fast in a given area where Ramadhaan is still prevailing. AND NOTE THAT THIS IS WAJIB AND NOT OPTIONAL. We have derived this masla on the one who saw the moon of Ramadhaan alone. If one sees the moon alone and his testimony got rejected, then he has no option but to fast the 30th Sha`baan(eve of Ramadhaan). And furthermore if people of that area completes 30 fasts, so that this will be 31st fast for that person, then fuqaha has obliged this fast on him.(Shami, Inayah, Fathul Qadeer)  

 لَوْ صَامَ رَائِي هِلَالِ رَمَضَانَ وَأَكْمَلَ الْعِدَّةَ لَمْ يُفْطِرْ إلَّا مَعَ الْإِمَامِ لِقَوْلِهِ عَلَيْهِ الصَّلَاةُ وَالسَّلَامُ { صَوْمُكُمْ يَوْمَ تَصُومُونَ وَفِطْرُكُمْ يَوْمَ تُفْطِرُونَ } رَوَاهُ التِّرْمِذِيُّشامي

 The Qur-aan also applies on you to fast. ‘One who witness the month, then he has to fast’ That is why it is wajib for you to fast that 31st or 32nd fast when you will be in your resident place and witnessing Ramadhaan.Your Eid will be only when the people of your country sight the moon. And if you fasted only 28 fasts to finally do Eid home, then replace one fast after Eid to complete 29th day.    *Since our travelling is easier and more comfortable, we stress that all travellers to keep their fasts during their journeys.* 

Mufti MACKOOJEE