QUESTION:

What do the scholars and muftis of the mighty Shari’ah say regarding the following matter, if someone is on a plane journey, according to what time should he do iftar?

ANSWER:

الجواب بعون اللك الوهاب،اللهم هدايةالحق و الصواب

The foundation of iftar is based on sunset. As Allaah says in the Qur-aan,

ثُمَّ أَتِمُّوا الصِّيامَ إِلَى اللَّيْلِ

“Complete the fast until the night.” (البقرة 187)

Commenting on this verse, it is mentioned,

أَتِمُّوا الصِّيامَ من الفجر إلى اللَّيْلِ أي غروب الشمس

“Complete the fast from Fajr until the night, i.e. Sunset.” (التفسير المنير ج 2 ص 148)

So for a passenger travelling on an aeroplane, the time to open the fast will be the time of sunset according to the aeroplane time. It’s possible that this iftar time is some time after the time of the city. About this, it is said,

وَمَنْ كَانَ عَلَى مَكَان مُرْتَفِعٍ كَمَنَارَةِ إسْكَنْدَرِيَّةَ لَا يُفْطِرُ مَا لَمْ تَغْرُبْ الشَّمْسُ عِنْدَهُ

“The one in a high place, like the minaret of Alexandria, doesn’t do iftar until the sun sets according to him.” (رد المحتار على الدر المختار،  ج2  ص 420 مطبوعہ دار الفکر بیروت).

Allah knows best

Answered by Abu Hanzalah Khalid Tasneem Al-Madani
Translated by Usman Ghani Mughal

Verified by: Mufti Abu Athar Muhammad Azhar Al-Madani

Read the original answer in Urdu here: [Q-ID0462] When on a plane journey, when should we open our Fast?

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