Key Issues Faced by Travelers from Gulf Countries During Ramadan
People from the Indian subcontinent working in Saudi Arabia, Dubai, Qatar, Bahrain, and Kuwait often face several issues when traveling to their home countries during Ramadan. They typically need guidance on five main issues:
- Should one fast while traveling?
- When traveling from Gulf countries to their home country, should they fast according to the local time of their home country or the Gulf country?
- If one breaks their fast while traveling, do they need to make up for it later, especially if they can complete their fast upon returning home?
- If someone travels from Riyadh, Muscat, or Abu Dhabi and has their pre-dawn meal (suhoor) according to the local time there, what time should they break their fast (iftar)?
- Some people celebrate Eid in Saudi Arabia or Dubai and then travel to their home country, arriving the next day when Eid is also being celebrated there. Should they perform the Eid prayer again?
Answers:
- Regarding the first question: If fasting during travel poses difficulties, one may break their fast. However, if there are no difficulties, it is preferable to fast. For instance, some individuals from Pakistan or India live close to the airport in the Gulf and can board their flights without any inconvenience, reaching home in three to four hours. In such cases, they should fast. However, if the journey involves flights, buses, or trains and lasts several hours, it is advisable not to fast due to the difficulties involved.
- For the second question: When traveling from one country to another, one should fast according to the local time of the country they are traveling to. This is evident from the commands of Allah and His Messenger (peace be upon him). Allah says:
“So whoever sights [the new moon of] the month, let him fast it.” (Al-Baqarah: 185)
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
“Fasting is the day you all fast, and breaking the fast is the day you all break your fast.” (Sahih Tirmidhi: 697)
This clearly indicates that a person should fast and break their fast according to the local customs of the place they are in. - For the third question: If someone breaks their obligatory fast due to travel, they must make up for it later, even if they can complete their fast upon returning home, as the fast they broke was an obligatory one.
- For the fourth question: A fasting person should break their fast at the time and place where the sun sets. If they are on a plane and the sun sets, they should break their fast on the plane. If they land at an airport or arrive at a village or town where the sun has set, they should break their fast there.
- For the fifth question: If someone has completed Ramadan and performed the Eid prayer, they are not required to perform the Eid prayer again. However, it is encouraged to join the local Muslim community in their celebration of Eid to express unity.
Additional Points to Consider:
- The sighting of the moon is crucial for determining the start of fasting, as indicated in the hadith: “Fast when you see the moon and break your fast when you see it.”
- A fasting person should consider the lunar calendar, not the Gregorian calendar.
- The lunar month can be a minimum of 29 days and a maximum of 30 days; there is no 31-day lunar month.
- If a person’s fasting in the new country results in a total of 31 days, that is acceptable. However, if it is less than 29 days, they must fast at least one additional day later, as a lunar month must have at least 29 days.
- If someone travels to another country after celebrating Eid, and it is still Ramadan there, they are not obligated to fast since they have completed their Ramadan according to Islamic law.
Written by: Shaikh Maqbool Ahmad Salafi hafizahullah
Translated by: Fuzail Siddiqui