having a whole day examination while fasting

[markclaysius]

can i break my fast or not going to have a fast while having a whole day examination from 8:00am-12:00pm and 2:00pm-5:00pm? which will be held on 4 sundays of september.

My parents told me not to have a fast because it will affect my mind.

A cousin of mine who is a shari'a lawyer translated to me the verse 184 of Surah Al-Baqarah which states (ma'fum) those persons who are exempt from having fast within the month of ramadhan. and its ransom. He told me that I am belong to the third kind of persons (which if it disturbs or destructs your body and mind) who are exempt from fasting, and the ransom is fidiya. thanks for the answer

[Imam]

Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem

Wa'alaykum 'Assalam wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu


All Praise be to Allah who is the Lord of the Worlds, and may Endless Blessings be showered upon His Most Beloved, and Final Messenger of Islam, Hadrat Muhammad Mustafa Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa 'aalihi wa Sallam

Fasting is fard in Islam, regardless of the activities you have to face, while you are fasting. The Qur'an Sharif states:

'Ya ayyuhaladhina amanu kutiba 'alaykum us siyama kama kutiba alal ladhina min qablikum la'allakum tattaqun'

'Oh you who are the believers, the fasts are obligatory upon you, just as they were obligatory on the people before you so that you may become obedient.'

The conditions for not keeping a fast for men and women have already been stipulated in the books of fiqh, ahadith-e-Mubarikah, and the Qur'an. Some of them are as follows:

1) A person when he is travelling, even then he has the option to fast, or not to.

2) An elderly person, where he fears he may cease to exist, at which stage kaffarah (attonement) is given, as a recompense.

3) A person who has not reached the state of puberty.

4) An insane person.

5) A woman who is in her menstruating period, after which she will make up for the fasts that are missed, after the month of Ramadhan.

The verse referred to by the lawyer exempts those people who are ill, and those who are in a state of journey. However, this does not apply to people who have examinations, as there are many people who have examinations, yet still stay in a state of fasting.

It is possible that you may recieve better results if you take your exams in a state of fasting, because you may be able to concentrate more on one particular thing rather than having other distractions. In addition to this, the blessings and mercies in this month, especially the first third, are so great that they can help you achieve anything you like, as long as your intention is clear, and that you remain observing the fast, which is an obligation to Allah the Almighty, who has not set an exclusion in this particular case.

I hope that you will make the effort, to fast, as well as perform your exams, Insha'Allah, and pray that you pass with the best results.


Jazak'allah for your question.





Wallahu A'lamu Biththawaab


M. Waseem Ashrafi