The Grand Ayatollah Sistani’s Fatwa about fasting in Ramadhan in the shadow of the Corona outbreak

by Abbas Adil

SHAFAQNA – The Grand Ayatollah Sistani answered a question about fasting in the holy Month of Ramadhan in the shadow of Coronavirus outbreak. According to SHAFAQNA, in reply to a question about fasting in the Month of Ramadhan in the shadow of the Coronavirus outbreak, the Grand Ayatollah Sistani emphasized that fasting as an individual duty is Wajib, and whoever has the conditions it is obligatory to fast regardless of it being Wajib for others or not.

And if a Muslim person fears that fasting even by observing all precautionary measures, get infected with Corona, the obligation of fasting for each day that fears to get infected with this illness is removed. But if is able to reduce the level of getting infected with the illness in a way that wise people do not pay attention to it; albeit by staying at home, or not mixing close with others, using mask and medical gloves, and observing repeated sanitizing protocols, and similar to them, and if there is no severe unbearable hardship; the obligation of fasting is not removed.

But regarding what it has been said, that doctors recommend to drink water in regular periods to avoid body’s lack of water and dryness of the throat to remove the possibility of getting infected with the Coronavirus; this case does not remove the obligation of fasting, except for those who have reached it, and if they fast, there is a fear that they get infected with the illness, and there is also no way of reducing the possibility of it, even by staying at home, and observing all precautionary measures; but others must fast.

Therefore, those who can leave their work in the Month of Ramadhan and stay at home in order to be safe, fasting obligation are not removed from them. But those who cannot leave their work at all and they fear that if they do not drink water during the day will be infected with the Coronavirus, and cannot do anything else to protect them from the illness, fasting is not Wajib for them, even though pretending to Iftar (breaking fast) in public is not allowed.

It is clear that Ramadhan fasting is one of the most important religious obligations, and it is not allowed to leave (abandon) it without true excuse, and any human being is aware of own situation better than others regarding the true excuse for leaving fasting.

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