The Case of Seniors Who Feel Weak when Fasting

الشَّيْخُ الْكَبِيرُ وَ الَّذِي يَأْخُذُهُ الْعُطَاشُ وَ عَنْ قَوْلِهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ- فَمَنْ لَمْ يَسْتَطِعْ فَإِطْعامُ سِتِّينَ مِسْكِيناً[2] قَالَ مِنْ مَرَضٍ أَوْ عُطَاشٍ.

“This is about the words of Allah, the most Majestic and Glorious, ‘Those who can afford pay ransom by feeding a destitute.’ (2:184) Abu Ja‘far (a.s.), has said, ‘It is a reference to the old man who becomes thirsty. The words of Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, “So those who cannot afford to feed sixty destitute p

سَأَلْتُ أَبَا الْحَسَنِ ع عَنِ الشَّيْخِ الْكَبِيرِ وَ الْعَجُوزِ الْكَبِيرَةِ الَّتِي تَضْعُفُ عَنِ الصَّوْمِ فِي شَهْرِ رَمَضَانَ قَالَ تَصَدَّقُ فِي كُلِّ يَوْمٍ بِمُدِّ حِنْطَةٍ.

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about the case of an old man and an old woman who are very weak for fasting in the month of Ramadan. He (the Imam) said, ‘They pay a ransom of one mud (a certain measurement) of wheat for every day.’”

سَأَلْتُهُ عَنْ رَجُلٍ كَبِيرٍ ضَعُفَ عَنْ صَوْمِ شَهْرِ رَمَضَانَ قَالَ يَتَصَدَّقُ كُلَّ يَوْمٍ بِمَا يُجْزِئُ مِنْ طَعَامِ مِسْكِينٍ.

‘He pays a ransom of one meal to a destitute person for every day.’”

سَمِعْتُ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ ع يَقُولُ‌ الشَّيْخُ الْكَبِيرُ وَ الَّذِي بِهِ الْعُطَاشُ لَا حَرَجَ عَلَيْهِمَا أَنْ يُفْطِرَا فِي شَهْرِ رَمَضَانَ وَ يَتَصَدَّقُ كُلُّ وَاحِدٍ مِنْهُمَا فِي كُلِّ يَوْمٍ بِمُدٍّ مِنْ طَعَامٍ وَ لَا قَضَاءَ عَلَيْهِمَا فَإِنْ لَمْ يَقْدِرَا فَلَا شَيْ‌ءَ عَلَيْهِمَا.

“I once heard abu Ja‘far (a.s.), say, ‘An old man and one who suffers from thirst have permission not to fast in the month of Ramadan, and instead each one pays a ransom of one mud of food for every day, and thereafter they are not obligated for any Qada’ (compensatory fast). If they cannot afford, they are not obligat

الَّذِينَ كَانُوا يُطِيقُونَ الصَّوْمَ فَأَصَابَهُمْ كِبَرٌ أَوْ عُطَاشٌ أَوْ شِبْهُ ذَلِكَ فَعَلَيْهِمْ لِكُلِّ يَوْمٍ مُدٌّ.

“This is about the words of Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, ‘Those who cannot afford, feed sixty destitute persons.’ Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘Those who were able to fast but now because of old age or thirst and so on (cannot fast), must pay one mud of food for every day of fast.’”

يَشْرَبُ بِقَدْرِ مَا يُمْسِكُ بِهِ رَمَقَهُ وَ لَا يَشْرَبُ حَتَّى يَرْوَى‌[1].

“About a man who becomes thirsty and is afraid for his life, abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘He can drink to spare his life but not to fill himself up.’”

قُلْتُ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع إِنَّ لَنَا فَتَيَاتٍ وَ شُبَّاناً لَا يَقْدِرُونَ عَلَى الصِّيَامِ مِنْ شِدَّةِ مَا يُصِيبُهُمْ مِنَ الْعَطَشِ قَالَ فَلْيَشْرَبُوا بِقَدْرِ مَا تَرْوَى بِهِ نُفُوسُهُمْ وَ مَا يَحْذَرُونَ‌[2].

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about the case of our young women and man who are not able to fast because of thirst. He (the Imam) said, ‘They can drink to quench their souls and to remove their fear.’”