Malfuzat - Volume VIII — Page 455
28 October 1906 455 hakeem muhammad hussain— Most assuredly, Your Holiness. God willing, there will be no difficulty. the promised messiah as — (Addressing Baba Chittu) You are a traveller, so you would not be fasting? baba chittu— No, I am fasting; I am observing the Fast. the promised messiah as — The essential thing is that act- ing upon the exemptions of the Holy Quran is also righteous- ness. God Almighty has given the one who is travelling or sick the permission and exemption to fast at another time, so this commandment should also be followed. I have read that most great scholars have given the verdict that it is a sin for someone to fast while travelling or during illness, because the purpose is [to win] the pleasure of Allah the Exalted, and not do as one should himself please, and the pleasure of Allah the Exalted is in obedience. Therefore, whatever command He gives should be obeyed, and one should not add things of his own to it. Here is what He has ordained: 1 ْنَمَف َناَك ْمُكْنِم اًضْيِرَّم ْوَا ىٰلَع ٍرَفَس ٌةَّدِعَف ْنِّم ٍماَّيَا َرَخُا ْنَمَف َناَك ْمُكْنِم اًضْيِرَّم ْوَا ىٰلَع ٍرَفَس ٌةَّدِعَف ْنِّم ٍماَّيَا َرَخُا There is no restriction in this that travel should be of such and such type or illness should be this or that variety. I do not observe the Fast when travelling and when I am sick. So, even today, my health is not good, and I did not fast. When I walk about, the sickness is reduced somewhat, so I am going out [for a walk]. Will you go, too? 1. Whoso among you is sick or is on a journey shall fast the same number of other days ( S u rah al-Baqarah, 2:185). [Publisher]