Fasting in a State of Illness A few days back, while compering in a television programme "Sawal Yeh Hay", Dr. Muhammad Farooq Khan expressed his opinion that if a person is suffering from such a disease, that it is necessary for him to take his medicines at least thrice a day, but otherwise his general health is good, then during the month of Ramadhan, he should fast but take medicine during Sahar, then at noon and then after Aftar. Do you agree with Dr. Muhammad Farooq Khan? If yes, then please refer to those Nasoos of Kuran and Sunnah on which your opinion is based. As far as I know Kuran explicitly describes what a patient should do during Ramadhan. Either he should fast after Ramadhan when he is healthy and complete the number of fasts, or if he does not expect that he could ever be so healthy, he should feed a poor person, once against each fast. Muhammad Uzair Bhaur, Lahore Reply I would tend to differ with the opinion expressed by Dr. Mohammad Farooq Khan on the referred television program. I agree with you that the referred issue has been explicitly mentioned in the Qur'an and in such a case, there seems to be no room for anyone's opinion or ijtihad . The Qur'an has specifically mentioned that if anyone is not well and due to his sickness, is not in a position to fast, he should complete the number of fasts missed, during other days. The Qur'an during the initial period had also given Muslims the option that if someone is not in a position to fast due to illness, he may complete the numbers so missed during other days or if he can afford, he should feed a poor person ( Al-Baqarah 2: 184). Later on, the Qur'an removed the allowance of feeding a poor and directed the Muslims that if they are in any way incapacitated to fast during Ramadhan, they should now complete the number of fasts that they had to miss because of their illness ( Al-Baqarah 2: 185). On the basis of the above directives of the Qur'an, I tend to agree with you that if a person is temporarily incapacitated from fasting because of any illness, he should then complete the number of fasts that he had to miss, during other days. While if a person is permanently incapacitated from fasting, he should then feed a poor person as a penance for each fast thus missed. I hope this helps. In case any aspect of my answer remains unclear, please feel free to write back to me at your convenience. Regards The Learner