Completing the Fasts of Ramadaan & Observing Eid in another country
Question
I will be travelling from South Africa to Saudi Arabia for Umrah during the Month of Ramadaan and returning to South Africa after Eid. Sometimes, Saudi starts fasting before South Africa and has Eid before South Africa. So the Fasts may be shorter than South Africa. When I’m in Saudi, do I complete the Fasts with Saudi Arabia or with South Africa. What should I do?
Answer
As a general rule, if a person travels to another country/countries during the Month of Ramadaan, then he/she must complete the Fasts of Ramadaan and observe Eid with the sighting of the moon of Shawwal of the country in which one is present.
As an example, if one travelled from South Africa to Saudi Arabia during the Month of Ramadaan, one must complete the Fasts of Ramadaan and observe Eid with the sighting of the moon of Shawwal in Saudi Arabia. This may result in one keeping a total of 29, 30 or even 31 Fasts combined with the Fasts kept in South Africa.
However, if the combined total of the Fasts kept in South with Saudi Arabia results in keeping less than 29 days of Fasts i.e. less than the minimum number of a complete Month of Fasting, e.g. 28 Fasts, then one must observe Eid with Saudi Arabia and make Qadha of the Fasts after Eid that were lesser than 29 days. (Muheet-ul-Burhaani 2/378 – Fataawa Raheemiyyah 7/215)
And Allah Ta’ala Knows Best
Fatawa SA is an independent, read-only index of fatawa already published by Jamiatul Ulama KZN. It is not a fatwa service. For your own situation, ask the issuing Darul Ifta directly.