Malfuzat - Volume IX — Page 462
Malf uza t - English translation of Urdu Volume 9 462 UNDATED Al-Muft i [The Jurist] Correction of a Mistake Which Sick Person can Give Expiation Only It was written in column 1 of page 7 of the last issue of the newspaper, no. 42, dated 17 October 1907, that the sick and the traveller are not to fast during their sickness or journey, rather they are to complete the Fasts in lieu of these days in the days following the month of Ramadan when being well and not on a journey. It is also written at the end of this text, ‘The sick or the traveller who can afford, they should give an expiation in place of the Fast. ’ Here the sick and the traveller refer to those people who have no hope that they may ever get a chance to fast again. For example, a quite frail old person or a weak pregnant woman who sees that after the delivery, due to weaning the child, she will be handicapped and an entire year will pass in this condition. It can be permissible for such people that they do not fast as they cannot, so they are to give fidyah [expiation]. Other than them, it is not permissible for anyone else to be considered exempt from fasting by giving fidyah. Because the mentioned text in Badr is unclear, this matter was, there- fore, presented again before the Promised Messiah as. He said: Expiation can only be for the old frail person or the like who do not have the ability to ever fast. Otherwise, to think of expia- tion for the masses that are able to fast after recovery is opening the door to ib ah at [not recognizing the lawful and the unlaw- ful]. A religion without struggles is meaningless in my opinion. It is a great sin to abandon the responsibilities owed to God Almighty in this manner. Allah the Exalted has said that guid- ance will be given only to those who make an effort in His way.