Ruling on Eating Bread with Trace Amounts of Alcohol (Maliki)

Ruling on Eating Bread with Trace Amounts of Alcohol in the Maliki School

Shaykh Rami Nsour via www.themadinanway.com

Question

As-salāmu ʿalaykum. I just discovered that normal bread, which is leavened, contains alcohol as a by-product. Does this then mean that, according to the Mālikīs, all leavened breads are ḥarām to consume? Also, allegedly unleavened bread also contains trace amounts of alcohol. Would these trace amounts be ignored or are they significant?

Answer

Eating leavened bread would be permissible according to the Mālikī school. As for the concern about the content of alcohol, there may be trace amounts produced during the process of the dough rising, but trace amounts of alcohol do not make something impure. There are trace amounts of alcohol in ripe fruit even while it is still on the tree, yet there is no doubt about the permissibility of eating fruit.

It is important in this discussion to take into consideration the Mālikī definition of intoxicants (muskir) when discussing what it impure (najas). Liquid intoxicants are liquid, impair the intellect but not the body, and cause energy and happiness [Dardir, Sharh al Kabir]. If one of these conditions are not present, such as something being solid, then it would not be considered impure.

Leavened bread does not fall under the definition of what a intoxicant would be because it is solid and one cannot be intoxicated by eating it. As for the trace amounts of alcohol, we are not taken to account to look for them nor do we have to avoid them. There are trace amounts of alcohol in many other permissible foods, such as certain yoghurts. If the amount becomes noticeable by one being able to become intoxicated if they were to consume it, then it would be impure. An example of this would be certain fermented milk that can intoxicate a person.

And Allāh knows best.

Shaving the Beard and Mustache (Maliki)

The Rulings of The Beard and Mustache

Muhammad Umar Mustafa

via www.themadinanway.com

Summary

In the Maliki school, it is a sunnah and most preferred to lengthen the beard and trim its excess when it gets too long, and recommended to keep it at least fist length (to leave difference of opinion in the school itself). It is prohibited to shave it off completely, and merely permissible to trim/shorten (not shave) the beard without a specific limit under the following preconditions:

• That the person does not resemble a woman, small child or a hermaphrodite when trimmed.
• That the person does not completely shave the beard off.
• That the goatee and sides of the face should be left alone unless they get too long then one may trim them; accordingly, other wise it must be left there.

The beard in the opinion of the Maliki school refers to that hair which is on the two jaw-bones and the chin [1]. The neck hair may be completely removed if one desires. It is haram by consensus to remove the hair on the sides of the face. However, whatever is above the jawbone - such as the upper cheek hair - may be removed.

Evidences

روى الإمام مالك – رحمه الله - في الموطأ برواتي يحي بن يحي اللّيثي و أبي مصعب الزهري وغيرهما عن أبي بكر بن نافع عن أبيه عن عبد الله بن عمر أن رسول الله – صلى الله عليه وسلم – أمر بإحفاء الشوارب وإعفاء اللحى

Imam Yahya ibn Yahya al-Laythi and Abu Musab az-Zuhri relate in their transmission of "The Muwatta" of Imam Malik ibn Anas: Abu Bakr ibn Nafi' relates from his father who relates from Abdullah ibn Umar who said,

The Prophet ﷺ commanded the trimming of the mustache and the lengthening of the beard.

[The Muwatta of Imam Malik ibn Anas, Riwayat Yahya ibn Yahya al-Laythi - Abu Musab Az-Zuhri]

وفي موطأ مالك من رواية محمد بن الحسن الشيباني تلميذ أبي حنيفة أخبرنا مالك، حدثنا نافع: أن ابن عمر كان إذا حلق في حج أو عمرة أخذ من لحيته (أي من طولها وعرضها،) ومن شاربه

Imam Muhammad ibn al-Hasan ash-Shaybani, who was the student of Imam Abu Hanifa, relates from Imam Malik ibn Anas who relates from Nafi' who relates from Abdullah ibn Umar that when he shaved his head after Hajj or Umrah, he also trimmed from his beard (from its length and width) and his mustache.

Note: Ash-Shaybani added:

''This is not compulsory, (trimming the beard after removing the ihram) [therefore] whoever wishes to do so may go ahead and carry out this action, and whoever wishes to he may leave it." In Imam Malik's view, it is merely mustahabb [recommended] to trims one's mustache and beard after ihram.

[The Muwatta of Imam Malik ibn Anas, Riwayat Muhammad ibn Al-Hassan Ash-Shaybani]

قال ابن عبد البر في التمهيد : أخبرنا أحمد بن عبد الله بن محمد قال حدثنا أبي قال حدثنا محمد ابن فطيس قال حدثنا يحيى بن إبراهيم قال حدثنا يحيى بن يحيى قال : رأيت الليث بن سعد يخضب بالحناء قال ورأيت مالك بن أنس لا يغير الشيب وكان نقي البشرة ناصع بياض الشيب حسن اللحية لا يأخذ منها من غير أن يدعها تطول

Ibn Abdul Barr said in his work, The Tamhid:

Ahmad ibn Abdullah ibn Muhammad informed us that his father informed us who was informed by Muhammad ibn Futais who was informed by Yahya ibn Ibrahim who relates from Imam Yahya ibn Yahya al-Laythi, who said, "I saw Imam Al-Layth ibn Sa'd dying his hairs with henna, and he said, 'I saw Imam Malik ibn Anas not dying his white hairs, and he was an immaculate, clean person with white hairs, and an excellent beard, he did not take anything off of it except that which was excessively long.'''

[At-Tamhid of Ibn Abdul Barr]

وقال في الاستذكار :وفي أخذ ابن عمر من آخر لحيته في الحج دليل على جواز الأخذ من اللحية في غير الحج؛ لأنه لو كان غير جائز ما جاز في الحج، لأنهم أمروا أن يحلقوا أو يقصروا إذا حلوا محل حجهم ما نهوا عنه في حجهم. وابن عمر روى عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم "أعفوا اللحى" وهو أعلم بمعنى ما روى، فكان المعنى عنده وعند جمهور العلماء الأخذ من اللحية ما تطاير. والله أعلم

Imam Ibn Abdul Barr said in his book, Al-Istidhkar: 

And in Abdullah ibn Umar's removing of the excess of his beard is a proof of the permissiblity of trimming the beard outside of Hajj, because if it were not permissible, it would also not be permissible during Hajj. They [the Sahaba] commanded to shave or trim when they exit the ihram that which they were prohibited from shaving or trimming during the ihram, and Abdullah ibn Umar was the same person who narrated the hadith from the Prophet ﷺ, "Lengthen the beard." and he is well aware of what he himself narrated, and the meaning with him and with the majority of the ulama is to trim from the beard what grows excessively long.

[Al-Istidhkar]

وروى البيهقي في "السنن الكبرى" بسنده عن  "عبد العزيز بن عبد الله الأويسي قال : ذكر مالك بن أنس إحفاء بعض الناس شواربهم فقال : ينبغي أن يضرب من صنع ذلك ، فليس حديث النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم في الإحفاء ، ولكن يبدي حرف الشفتين والفم .

Abdul Aziz ibn Abdullah said: 

He mentioned to Imam Malik ibn Anas the action of shaving the entire mustache as some people do. He said, 'It is befitting to discipline whoever does that, the hadith of the Prophet does not refer to shaving the mustache rather it refers to removing what is on the brink of the lips and mouth (meaning no hair should be beyond them).'

[Sunan Al-Kubra of Imam Bayhaqi, Fath Al-Bari]

 قال القاضي عياض إعفاء اللحية وقص الشارب كالسنة الواحدة؛ إذ هو كالعضو الواحد

Qadi Iyad ibn Musa al-Yahsubi said:

The growing of the beard and the trimming of the mustache are like one sunnah, similar to one limb.

[Ikmal Al-Mu'lim bi Fawaid Muslim]

وقال مالك بن أنس : حلق الشارب بدعة ظهرت في الناس " انتهى باختصار .

Imam Malik ibn Anas said:

The complete shaving of the mustache is an innovation which has appeared amongst the people.

[Sunan Al-Kubra of Imam Bayhaqi, Fath Al-Bari]

وقال أبو الوليد الباجي في "المنتقى شرح الموطأ": روى ابن عبد الحكم عن مالك : ليس إحفاء الشارب حلقه ، وأرى أن يؤدب من حلق شاربه . وروى أشهب عن مالك : حلقُهُ مِن البدع .

Abu Walid Al-Baji said in his book, "Al-Muntaqa Sharh Al-Muwatta", 

Imam Ibn Abdul Hakm narrates from Imam Malik, who said: "The trimming of the mustache is not its complete shaving; my opinion is that whoever shaves his mustache completely should be disciplined.'' Imam Ashab narrates from Imam Malik: "Its shaving is an innovation.''

[Al-Muntaqa Sharh Al-Muwatta]

قال سحنون  في المدونة قلت لابن القاسم : هل كان مالك يوجب على المحرم إذا حلَّ من احرامه أن يأخذ من لحيته و شاربه و أظفاره؟ قال: "لم يكن يوجبه ولكن كان يستحب إذا حلق أن يقلِّم و أن يأخذ من شاربه و لحيته، وذكر مالك أنّ ابن عمر كان يفعله"

Imam Sahnun said:

I said to Imam Abdurahman Ibn Al-Qasim Al-Utaqi, "Did Imam Malik impose on the Muhrim when he leaves the ihram that he has to remove his beard, mustache, and nails?" He said, "He did not impose it, however, he preferred a person when he shaves (after the ihram) to cut some of his beard and mustache, and he mentioned that Abdullah ibn Umar used to do so."

[Al-Mudawwanah Al-Kubra]

قال الباجي المالكي:وقد استحبَّ ذلك مالكٌ -رحمه الله-؛ لأنَّ الأخذ منها على وجه لا يغيِّر الخِلْقَةَ من الجمال، والاستئصال لهما -أي: الرأس واللحية- مُثْلَة كحلق رأس المرأة فمنع من استئصالهما أو أن يقع فيهما ما يُغيِّر الخلقة ويُؤدِّي إلى المثلة، وأمَّا ما تزايد منها وخرج عن حدِّ الجمال إلى حدِّ التشعُّت وبقاؤه مثلة، فإنَّ أخذه مشروع المنتقى للباجي:

Imam Al-Baji Al-Maliki said: 

Imam Malik preferred shaving from the excess of one's hair. However, taking from it is upon the premise of it not changing a person's physiognomy, like shaving the beard off completely for a man and shaving the hair of the head off for a woman. Doing these actions leads to resemblance of the opposite sex [so if trimming the beard makes a man resemble a woman then it is haram to trim it]. As for what increases from the beard and exits from the limitation of beauty to shagginess, then trimming it is permissible.

[Al-Sharh Al-Muntaqa Ala Muwatta]

[Note] As for when someone has only a short beard, Imam Al-Adawi relates that some commentators rule that trimming such a beard is haram (forbidden) just like shaving. Then Imam Al-‘Adawi states that the apparent context of this opinion is premised on whether or not trimming or shaving it produces disfigurement Muthlah – like if doing so makes a man look like a woman. So if disfigurement occurs, it would be haram. Otherwise, there is no objection according to him and Imam Nafarawi, and he mentions that the known opinion is that there is no limitation for trimming (besides what has been mentioned before). However, he also mentions that Imam Abu Walid Al-Baji's opinion is that one should not cut below the fist-length. 

In the case of a long beard, it is always recommended to trim it when it exceeds the customary norm of men and mars a person’s appearance.

As for the goatee, the hair of this area should not be touched at all.

وكيع عن أبي هلال قال : سألت الحسن وابن سيرين فقالا : لا بأس به أن تأخذ من طول لحيتك.

Waki' ibn Hilal said: I asked Hasan al-Basri and Ibn Sirin [about the beard] and they said:

"There is no problem in a person trimming the length of his beard."

[Musannaf of Ibn Abi Shaybah]

 حدثنا وكيع عن سفيان عن منصور عن إبراهيم قال : كانوا يطيبون لحاهم ويأخذون من عوارضها

Waki' related from Sufyan al-Thawri who related from Mansur who related that Ibrahim an-Nakhai' said: 

"They [the sahaba] used to make their beards look appealing, and they used to trim its sides."

[Musannaf of Ibn Abi Shaybah]

التمهيد للحافظ ابن عبد البر:" لا بأس أن يأخذ ما تطاير من اللحية وشذ، قال ابن القاسم: فقيل لمالك: فإذا طالت جدا فإن من اللحى ما تطول ؟ قال : أرى أن يؤخذ منها وتقصر 

Al-Hafidh Al-Maghrib Ibn Abdul Barr said:

There is no problem in removing what is elongated or deviated/abnormal from the beard. Ibn Al-Qasim said: "It was said to Imam Malik: 'If it [the beard] has become very long, what should one do?' He said: 'My opinion is that one should take from it and shorten it.'" 

[At-Tamhid of Ibn Abdul Barr]

قال ابن أبي زيد القيرواني في " الرسالة "  وأمر النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم أن تعفى اللحية وتوفر ولا تقص قال مالك ولا بأس بالأخذ من طولها إذا طالت كثيرا وقاله غير واحد من الصحابة والتابعين

Imam Abu Muhammad Abdullah ibn Abi Zayd al-Qayrawani said in his Risalah: 

The Prophet ﷺ commanded to lengthen the beard and that it be extended and not trimmed short. Imam Malik said: "There is no problem in taking from its excess length if it excessively grows out, and more than one from amongst the Sahaba and Tabiun have said this as well.'

[The Risalah of Ibn Abi Zayd Al-Qayrawani]

وقال رحمه الله :ومن تحسين الهيئة قص الشارب واعفاء اللحية اما حلق اللحية فتشويه كتاب الاعلام لما في دين النصاري من الفساد

Imam Qurtubi said: 

From the excellence of appearance is to trim one's mustache and lengthen one's beard. As for shaving it then if he does so, he has deformed himself (of his natural physiognomy).

[Kitab Al-A'lam Lima fi Din An-Nasara Min Al-Fasad]

قال عياض: يكره حلق اللحية وقصها وتحذيفها وأما الأخذ من طولها وعرضها إذا عظمت فحسن، بل تكره الشهرة في تعظيمها كما يكره في تقصيرها

Qadi Iyad ibn Musa al-Yahsubi said in his commentary on Sahih Muslim: 

As for shaving the beard, it is makruh (muharrama - leaning towards haram). As for cutting from its length and width when it becomes [excessively] long, then that is good. It is makruh (muharrama) to let it be excessive just as it is makruh (muharrama) to shave it.

[Ikmal Al-Mu'lim bi Fawaid Muslim]

[Note] This is not the mashur view of the Maliki school, which is that shaving the beard is haram. Many scholars have noted that Qadi Iyad intended the word يحرم when using the word كره as used in the Quran. Imam Zarkashi said in his tafsir, "Al-Bahr Al-Muhit", that the word makruh has four different usages in language - one them being haram. To prove this, he mentioned the ayah:

"All of that - its evil is ever, in the sight of your Lord, detested." (Qurʾān, 17:38)  

وقال النفراوي في " الفواكه الدواني " : " وأمر النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم, كما في موطأ مالك بأن تعفى اللحية, أي يوفر شعرها ويبقى من غير إزالة لشيء منها , فقوله " توفر ولا تقص " تفسير لما قبله وذكره لزيادة البيان , والمتبادر من قوله أمر الوجوب , وهو كذلك إذ يحرم حلقها إذا كانت لرجل, وأما قصها فإن لم تكن طالت فكذلك , وأما لو طالت كثيرا فأشار إلى حكمه بقوله "قال مالك ولا بأس بالأخذ من طولها إذا طالت"

Imam Ahmad An-Nafarawi said in his commentary, Al-Fawakih Al-Dawani, on the Risalah of Abdullah Ibn Abi Zayd Al-Qayrawani:

The Prophet ﷺ commanded as is mentioned in the hadith of the Muwatta, to lengthen the beard, meaning to let it spread and let it stay without removing anything from it. As for Imam Abdullah's saying in the Risalah, 'To let it spread and not trim it', it is there to express what comes before it and he mentioned it for more expression in his deliverance to show it compulsion. Its cutting is haram for a man. As for its trimming, if it is not long then it is also prohibited, as for when it is very long then he points to its injunction with his saying, "Imam Malik said, 'There is no problem in taking from its excess length if it excessively grows out.'"

[Al-Fawakih Al-Dawani]

وقال العدوي في حاشيته على " كفاية الطالب " : " قوله لأن حلقهما بدعة , أي بدعة محرمة للحية في حق الرجل , وأما المرأة فقد تقدم أنه يجب عليها حلق لحيتها "

Imam Al-Adawi says in his footnotes on Kifayat at-Talib:

His saying [Imam Abdullah's] is due to the fact that shaving both of them is an innovation, meaning a prohibited innovation for a man to shave his beard. As for a woman, it has been mentioned before that it is compulsory for her to shave her beard (as well as the mustache according to the mashur of the Maliki school).

[Hashiyat Al-Adawi Ala Kifayat At-Talib Ar-Rabbani]

وقال العلامة زروق رحمه الله في شرحه على الرسالة : " ومعنى توفر تترك على حالهادون نقص لانها وجه الانسا ن و زينته و يمنع حلقها و حلق الشيب منها "

Imam Zarruq said in his commentary on the Risalah of Ibn Abi Zayd: 

The meaning of "letting it grow" is that you leave it in its natural state without lessening it because it is from the appearance of man and his trademark and beauty, and its shaving is prohibited. and likewise removing/shaving the white hairs.

[Sharh Az-Zarruq Ala-Risalah Ibn Abi Zayd]

قال عليش في " منح الجليل " : " ويحرم على الرجل حلق اللحية والشارب ويؤدب فاعله ويجب حلقهما على المرأة على المعتمد ".

Imam Muhammad Al-Illyish Al-Azhari said in his book, Manh Al-Jalil: 

It is prohibited for a man to to shave his beard and his mustache and those who do so are disciplined, and the removal of both of them is compulsory for a woman according to mashur of the Maliki school.

[Manh Al-Jalil]

وقال الحطاب في " مواهب الجليل " : " وحلق اللحية لا يجوز وكذلك الشارب وهو مثلة وبدعة ويؤدب من حلق لحيته أو شاربه إلا أن يريد الإحرام بالحج ويخشى طول شاربه ".

Imam al-Hattab said in his book, Al-Mawahib Al-Jalil:

The shaving of the beard is not permissible and similarly the mustache, and doing so is a reprehensible innovation. And whoever shaves them is disciplined, except for the one who intends to don the ihram for Hajj or Umrah and he fears that his beard will grow excessively long.

[Al-Mawahib Al-Jalil Sharh Mukhtasar Khalil]

وفي " حاشية الدسوقي على الشرح الكبير" قال : " تنبيه: يحرم على الرجل حلق لحيته أو شاربه ويؤدَّب فاعل ذلك ".

Imam ad-Dasuqi said:

It is prohibited for a person to completely shave his beard or his mustache, and the perpetrator of that is disciplined.

[Hashiyat Ad-Dasuqi Ala Sharh Al-Kabir]

  

قال القرافي – رحمه الله - في الذخيرة وتترك اللحية لما في بعض الأخبار: إن لله ملائكة يقولون : سبحان من زيّن بني آدم باللحى...قال ابن يونس:من أحفى شاربه يوجع ضربا لأنها بدعة

Imam Al-Qarafi said: 

A person lets the beard grow for what is in some narrations: "Indeed the angels say, 'Glorified be the one who beautified the sons of Adam with beards.'" Imam Ibn Yunus said: 'Whoever shaves his mustache is disciplined because doing so is an innovation.''

[Dhakira of Imam Al-Qarafi]

  

 قال الباجي– رحمه الله- في المنتقى وقوله – صلى الله عليه وسلم - (اعفوا اللحى) ...يحتمل عندي أن يريد أن تعفى اللحى من الإحفاء؛ لأن كثرتها أيضا ليس بمأمور بتركه

Imam Al-Baji says in commentary on the Muwatta, Al-Muntaqa, in reference to the saying of the Prophet ﷺ, "Grow the beard.":

It is my opinion that the Prophet intended for the beards to be long, but not excessively long and leaving them in that condition is not what is ordered.

[Al-Sharh Al-Muntaqa Ala Muwatta]

  

وقال ابن الحاجب في جامع الأمهات : وترك الأخذ من اللحية إلا أن تطول جداً

Imam Ibn Al-Hajib said:

And a person does not take anything from his beard unless it has grown very long. [2]

[Jami' Al-Ummahat]

Footnotes

[Site admin note]: I have slightly changed the article from its original in order to clean up the formatting and correct several grammatical mistakes.

[1] See Mukhtasar Khalil, Hashiyat al-Dasuqi ala Sharh al-Kabir and Manh al-Jalil.
[2] As aforementioned, the excessive length of a beard is determined by the urf (custom) of one's society.

Fasting in Ramadhan (Maliki)

Fasting in Ramaḍān

According to the maddhab of Imam Mālik, from the Risalah of Ibn Abi Zayd al-Qayrawani (d. 386 AH/996 CE), translated by Shaykh Hamza Wald Maqbul.

via www.themadinanway.com

وَصَوْمُ شَهْرِ رَمَضَانَ فَرِيضَةٌ

The fast of the month of Ramadhan is an obligation.

يُصَامُ لِرُؤْيَةِ الْهِلَالِ وَيُفْطَرُ لِرُؤْيَتِهِ كَانَ ثَلَاثِينَ يَوْمًا أَوْ تِسْعَةً وَعِشْرِينَ يَوْمًا

Fasting is to commence with the first visible sighting of the new moon [1], and the fast is to end with the visible sighting of the next new moon, be that period thirty days or twenty-nine.

فَإِنْ غُمَّ الْهِلَالُ فَيُعَدُّ ثَلَاثِينَ يَوْمًا مِنْ غُرَّةِ الشَّهْرِ الَّذِي قَبْلَهُ ثُمَّ يُصَامُ وَكَذَلِكَ فِي الْفِطْرِ

If the sighting of the new moon is obscured by low visibility, let the previous month last for thirty
days, then fast the next day. Reckon the month of opening the fast be reckoned likewise.

وَيُبَيِّتُ الصِّيَامَ فِي أَوَّلِهِ وَلَيْسَ عَلَيْهِ الْبَيَاتُ فِي بَقِيَّتِهِ , وَيُتِمُّ الصِّيَامَ إلَى اللَّيْلِ

Let the one fasting make the intention to fast in the night before its commencement. It is not necessary to make the intention again thereafter [2]. Fasting is to be completed until the entering of night [3].

وَمِنْ السُّنَّةِ تَعْجِيلُ الْفِطْرِ وَتَأْخِيرُ السُّحُورِ وَإِنْ شَكَّ فِي الْفَجْرِفَلَا يَأْكُلْ

It is from the Sunnah to expedite the opening of the fast at its end. It is also such to delay the pre-dawn meal until near dawn, however if there is some doubt as to the exact time of the impending dawn, one should not eat.

وَلَا يُصَامُ يَوْمُ الشَّكِّ لِيَحْتَاطَ بِهِ مِنْ رَمَضَانَ وَمَنْ صَامَهُ كَذَلِكَ لَمْ يُجْزِهِ وَإِنْ وَافَقَهُ مِنْ رَمَضَانَ وَلِمَنْ شَاءَ صَوْمَهُ تَطَوُّعًا أَنْيَفْعَلَ

 

A day of doubt [as to whether or not Ramadhan has entered] is not to be fasted out of being cautious due to the possibility of its being part of Ramadhan [4]. Whoever fasts it [i.e. the day of doubt], it does not count for him and even if it later becomes apparent that such a day was, in fact, one of the days of Ramadhan. However, whoever wishes to fast such a day as a general act of obedience [and not with the intention of fasting a day of Ramadhan or out of caution due to the possibility of that day being part of it], it is allowed.

وَمَنْ أَصْبَحَ فَلَمْ يَأْكُلْ وَلَمْ يَشْرَبْ ثُمَّ تَبَيَّنَ لَهُ أَنَّ ذَلِكَ الْيَوْمَ مِنْ رَمَضَانَ لَمْ يُجْزِهِ وَلْيُمْسِكْ عَنْ الْأَكْلِ فِي بَقِيَّتِهِ وَيَقْضِيهِ

If a person wakes up and has not eaten or drunk anything, then it becomes apparent to him that it is a day of Ramadhan, it [i.e. his abstention from the things that break the fast] do not suffice him [in making that a validly fulfilled fast day]. However, he must [by obligation] abstain from all thing which break the fast for the rest of the day, then make up that fast day [after Ramadhan].

وَإِذَا قَدِمَ الْمُسَافِرُ مُفْطِرًا أَوْ طَهُرَتْ الْحَائِضُ نَهَارًا فَلَهُمَا الْأَكْلُفِي بَقِيَّةِ يَوْمِهِمَا

If a traveler should arrive at the [end] destination of his travel, or the menses of a woman should end, during the day, it is permissible for them to eat for the rest of that day.

وَمَنْ أَفْطَرَ فِي تَطَوُّعِهِ عَامِدًا أَوْ سَافَرَ فِيهِ فَأَفْطَرَ لِسَفَرِهِ فَعَلَيْهِ الْقَضَاءُ وَإِنْ أَفْطَرَ سَاهِيًا فَلَا قَضَاءَ عَلَيْهِ بِخِلَافِ الْفَرِيضَةِ

If one should intentionally break one’s supererogatory fast, or begin a journey during such a fast and then break it, then it is incumbent upon him to make such a fast up. However, if one should do something to nullify a [supererogatory] fast, he does not have to make it up, unlike the case for a obligatory fast.

وَلَا بَأْسَ بِالسِّوَاكِ لِلصَّائِمِ فِي جَمِيعِ نَهَارِهِ

There is no harm in one fasting using a tooth-stick at any time of the day.

وَلَا تُكْرَهُ لَهُ الْحِجَامَةُ إلَّا خِيفَةَ التَّغْرِيرِ

It is not offensive for one who is fasting to practice cupping [during his fast], except if it should cause him to be weak.

وَمَنْ ذَرَعَهُ الْقَيْءُ فِي رَمَضَانَ فَلَا قَضَاءَ عَلَيْهِ وَإِنْ اسْتَقَاءَ فَقَاءَ فَعَلَيْهِ الْقَضَاءُ

If one should vomit [while fasting] while in Ramadhan, he does not have to make up that fast day [and it is valid]. However, should one induce vomiting intentionally, then vomits, he must make up that fast day.

وَإِذَا خَافَتْ الْحَامِلُ عَلَى مَا فِي بَطْنِهَا أَفْطَرَتْ وَلَمْ تُطْعِمْ وَقِيلَ تُطْعِمُ وَلِلْمُرْضِعِ إنْ خَافَتْ عَلَى وَلَدِهَا وَلَمْ تَجِدْ مَنْ تَسْتَأْجِرُهُ لَهُ أَوْ لَمْ يَقْبَلْ غَيْرَهَا أَنْ تُفْطِرَ وَتُطْعِمَ

Should a pregnant woman fear for that which is in her womb [...]. Should a nursing-mother fear for her suckling child, and she is not able to find anyone who she can hire to nurse her child or the child does not accept the milk of anyone but its mother, she should break her fast and eat. [and make up that fast day later].

وَيُسْتَحَبُّ لِلشَّيْخِ الْكَبِيرِ إذَا أَفْطَرَ أَنْ يُطْعِمَ وَالْإِطْعَامُ فِي هَذَا كُلِّهِ مُدٌّ عَنْ كُلِّ يَوْمٍ يَقْضِيهِ

It is recommended that a person of advanced age [or anyone of a chronic excuse and is not expected to recover from it], should that person break a fast, feed [a needy Muslim] a mudd [5] for each day he is expected to make up.

وَكَذَلِكَ يُطْعِمُ مَنْ فَرَّطَ فِي قَضَاءِ رَمَضَانَ حَتَّى دَخَلَ عَلَيْهِ رَمَضَانُ آخَرُ

Likewise one who neglected their due makeup fasts until the next Ramadhan is expected to feed [a needy Muslim one mudd for each fast day makeup neglected for such a long period].

وَلَا صِيَامَ عَلَى الصِّبْيَانِ حَتَّى يَحْتَلِمَ الْغُلَامُ وَتَحِيضَ الْجَارِيَةُ وَبِالْبُلُوغِ لَزِمَتْهُمْ أَعْمَالُ الْأَبْدَانِ فَرِيضَةً

Children are not required to fast; it is thus for a young boy until he has his first nocturnal seminal emission and for a young girl until she has her first menstrual period. It is with physical maturity that the religious duties incumbent upon the body are made obligatory.

قَالَ اللَّهُ سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى { وَإِذَا بَلَغَ الْأَطْفَالُ مِنْكُمْ الْحُلُمَفَلْيَسْتَأْذِنُواْ}

Allāh, glory to Him, Most High, said: {When children should reach physical maturity..} (Qurʾān 24:59)

وَمَنْ أَصْبَحَ جُنُبًا وَلَمْ يَتَطَهَّرْ أَوْ امْرَأَةٌ حَائِضٌ طَهُرَتْ قَبْلَ الْفَجْرِ فَلَمْ يَغْتَسِلَا إلَّا بَعْدَ الْفَجْرِ أَجْزَأَهُمَا صَوْمُ ذَلِكَ الْيَوْمِ

If one should wake up in a state of major impurity [janabah, i.e. one which requires a ritual purificatory bath (ghusl)], or a woman’s menses should end in the night before the arrival of true dawn, and such a person did not take a ritual purificatory bath until after the true dawn, that day’s fast is still sufficient.

وَلَا يَجُوزُ صِيَامُ يَوْمِ الْفِطْرِ وَلَا يَوْمُ النَّحْرِ

It is unlawful to fast on the Festival of Fast-opening [Eid al-Fitr] [6], or the Festival of Sacrifice [Eid al-Adhha or al-Nahr] [7].

وَلَا يَصُومُ الْيَوْمَيْنِ اللَّذَيْنِ بَعْدَ يَوْمِ النَّحْرِ إلَّا الْمُتَمَتِّعُ الَّذِي لَا يَجِدُ هَدْيًا وَالْيَوْمُ الرَّابِعُ لَا يَصُومُهُ مُتَطَوِّعٌ

It is also unlawful to fast on the two days after the Festival of Sacrifice, except for the one who intends to sacrifice and is not able to carry it out; he then does not fast the fourth day [the day after the one day of Eid and the two days after that] as an act of supererogatory worship.

وَيَصُومُهُ مَنْ نَذَرَهُ أَوْ مَنْ كَانَ فِي صِيَامٍ مُتَتَابِعٍ قَبْلَ ذَلِكَ

However one who vowed to fast it, or is observing a necessarily consecutive fast from the time before it, must fast it.

وَمَنْ أَفْطَرَ فِي نَهَارِ رَمَضَانَ نَاسِيًا فَعَلَيْهِ الْقَضَاءُ فَقَطْ

Whoever should break their fast on a day of Ramadhan through forgetfulness is only required to make such a day up [as opposed to being required to make the day up as well as make a total expiation for breaking it intentionally] [8].

وَكَذَلِكَ مَنْ أَفْطَرَ فِيهِ لِضَرُورَةٍ مِنْ مَرَضٍ وَمَنْ سَافَرَ سَفَرًا تُقْصَرُ فِيهِ الصَّلَاةُ فَلَهُ أَنْ يُفْطِرَ وَإِنْ لَمْ تَنَلْهُ ضَرُورَةٌ وَعَلَيْهِ الْقَضَاءُ

Likewise, one who [intentionally] breaks his fast out of necessity due to illness. Whoever should [begin a] journey in which he is expected to shorten his prayers [9] is allowed to break his fast, even if he is not forced to by necessity, and such a person must make that day up.

وَالصَّوْمُ أَحَبُّ إلَيْنَا

We prefer that such a person [upon whom the difficulty of travel does not present a need to break the fast,] fast.

وَمَنْ سَافَرَ أَقَلَّ مِنْ أَرْبَعَةِ بُرُدٍ فَظَنَّ أَنَّ الْفِطْرَ مُبَاحٌ لَهُ فَأَفْطَرَ فَلَا كَفَّارَةَ عَلَيْهِ وَعَلَيْهِ الْقَضَاءُ وَكُلُّ مَنْ أَفْطَرَ مُتَأَوِّلًا فَلَا كَفَّارَةَ عَلَيْهِ

Should a person travel less than four burud, and thinking that it is permissible to do so, breaks his fast, it is not necessary for him to perform the complete expiation; rather he must simply make up that fast day. Whoever should [mistakenly] open their fast early, such a person is not obligated to make the complete expiation [either, rather they must simply make up that fast day also].

وَإِنَّمَا الْكَفَّارَةُ عَلَى مَنْ أَفْطَرَ مُتَعَمِّدًا بِأَكْلٍ أَوْ شُرْبٍ أَوْ جِمَاعٍ مَعَالْقَضَاءِ

Indeed, the complete expiation is not incumbent upon anyone, except one who breaks his fast intentionally through eating, drinking or sexual relations. [In addition to the expiation, in such a case,] also incumbent is a makeup of that fast day.

وَالْكَفَّارَةُ فِي ذَلِكَ إطْعَامُ سِتِّينَ مِسْكِينًا لِكُلِّ مِسْكِينٍ مُدٌّ بِمُدِّ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَذَلِكَ أَحَبُّ إلَيْنَا

The complete expiation in such a case is [either one of three options]: to feed sixty unfortunate [free [10] Muslims], which [is the option] we prefer.

وَلَهُ أَنْ يُكَفِّرَ بِعِتْقِ رَقَبَةٍ أَوْ صِيَامِ شَهْرَيْنِ مُتَتَابِعَيْنِ

Or he can also expiate by freeing a slave, or by fasting for two months, consecutively.

وَلَيْسَ عَلَى مَنْ أَفْطَرَ فِي قَضَاءِ رَمَضَانَ مُتَعَمِّدًا كَفَّارَةٌ

One who should intentionally break a makeup fast day [performed as a make up] for Ramadhan is not obliged to perform the expiation.

وَمَنْ أُغْمِيَ عَلَيْهِ لَيْلًا فَأَفَاقَ بَعْدَ طُلُوعِ الْفَجْرِ فَعَلَيْهِ قَضَاءُ الصَّوْمِ وَلَا يَقْضِي مِنْ الصَّلَوَاتِ إلَّا مَا أَفَاقَ فِي وَقْتِهِ

One who should be unconscious in the night and does not come back to his senses until after the ascent of true dawn, must make up that fast day, but he is not obliged to make up any of the prayers he missed, except the one…

وَيَنْبَغِي لِلصَّائِمِ أَنْ يَحْفَظَ لِسَانَهُ وَجَوَارِحَهُ

It is becoming of one who is fasting to guard his tongue [, heart] and limbs [from all things which displease the Creator, glory to Him, Most High],

وَيُعَظِّمَ مِنْ شَهْرِ رَمَضَانَ مَا عَظَّمَ اللَّهُ سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى

and that he should magnify those things in Ramadhan which Allāh, glory to Him, Most High, magnified.


Footnotes

[1] It is important to note that although Islam is, like the erudite Hafidh Iftikhar Shafi mentioned, never in conflict with reality. That being said, it is one of fixed the rituals of Islam, that each locality not begin the fast of Ramadhan nor end it, except through the sighting of the first visible sliver of the new moon of the months of Ramadhan and Shawwal respectively. This position of Ikhtilaf al-Mutali’ is the relied upon position of the Maliki school as reported to me by the righteous Shaykh Muhammad bin Muhammad al-Amin bin ‘Abd al-Rahman bin al-Shaykh bin Fahfu, may Allāh have mercy on them, and sanctify their that which their innermost souls carried in the way of righteousness. The alternative which has found much acceptance in the minds of the Muslims of Ittihad al-Matali’ or the global moon sighting fails to take into account the fact that the visibility curve of the moon from earth actually allows for the sighting to be visible on the same night from some places and not others. Of course, none of the Sahabah, may Allāh be well pleased with them were privy to this technical detail, nevertheless it comes in Sahih Muslim:

Kuraib reported that Umm Fadl, daughter of Harith, sent him (Fadl, i. e. her son) to Muʿāwiyah in Syria. I (Fadl) arrived in Syria, and did the needful for her. It was there in Syria that the month of Ramadhan commenced. I saw the new moon (of Ramadhan) on Friday. I then came back to Medina at the end of the month. Abdullah b. 'Abbas (may Allāh be pleased with him) asked me (about the new moon of Ramadan) and said: When did you see it? I said: We saw it on the night of Friday. He said: (Did) you see it yourself? I said: Yes, and the people also saw it and they observed fast and Muʿāwiyah also observed fast, whereupon he said: But we saw it on Saturday night. So we would continue to observe fast till we complete thirty (lasts) or we see it (the new moon of Shawwal). I said: Is the sighting of the moon by Muʿāwiyah not valid for you? He said: No; this is how the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ has commanded us.

[2] It is important to note that if for some reason the continuous chain of fast days is broken for a lawful reason such as illness or travel or an unlawful reason such as intentional breaking of the fast or failure to even make the intention to fast on an obligatory fast day, that this initial intention which suffices the slave for the rest of the days of Ramadhan must be made again, and it will thenceforth be valid for him until the end of the month. It is recommended that one make intention to fast every night of Ramadhan before the dawn on the fast day intended.

[3] Sunset.

[4] Neither is it lawful, nor is the fast valid if performed in such conditions.

[5] A mudd is the amount that fills up two hands cupped together. The mudd referred to here is that of the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ, which Shaykh Nuh Keller estimates in his Reliance of the Traveller to be 0.51 litres.

[6] Shawwal 1.

[7] Dhul-Hijjah 10.

[8] This is to me [Hamza Wald Maqbul] - not that my opinion in the matter is worth anything - the biggest difference of opinion between the Malikis and their brothers from the Hanafi and Shafi’i madhabs.

Abu Huraira narrated: the Prophet ﷺ said, "If somebody eats something forgetfully while he is fasting, then he should complete his fast, for Allah has made him eat and drink." [Sahih Bukhari Volume 8, Book 78, Number 662]

When I took this ruling from my beloved Shaykh Muhammad, may Allāh perpetuate his barakah amongst us and give him the patience to suffer many more years of teaching me, I immediately mentioned this hadith. He calmly countered that though this hadith proves that there is no sin upon the one who forgetfully should eat or drink during the fast; it says nothing about the validity of the fast nor the necessity or lack thereof of making such a fast day up.

[9] A journey of 48 miles or more.

[10] As the feeding of a slave is not a charity because it is already a duty that the slave’s master is obliged to perform.