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Fatwa CenterNature of Sickness That Permits One to Break His Fast
Question
When I was 15 years old, I used to be ill very often. My father used to tell me to break my fast during the month of Ramadan. I did this for 10 days and then made up for them. I used to feel that I was able to fast. Should I offer an expiation for those days or not?
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad 
is His slave and Messenger.
Muslim scholars have unanimously agreed that the sick person is allowed to break his fast in Ramadan in general. They substantiated their opinion with the statement of Allah Almighty (which means): {So whoever among you is ill or on a journey [during them]—then an equal number of days [are to be made up].} [Quran 2: 184]
However, they held different opinions regarding the nature of sickness that allows one to break his fast.
The majority of the scholars, including the four imams, held that it is the sickness that worsens by fasting or that from which recovery would be delayed on account of fasting, as well as that which causes hardship for the fasting person.
Ibn Qudamah 
said in Al-Mughni:
“The kind of sickness that permits the person to break the fast is intense sickness that worsens by fasting or when it is feared that recovery will be delayed. It was said to Ahmad : “When can the sick person break his fast?” He said, “When he is unable to fast.” It was said, “Like (due to having a) fever?” He said, “What sickness is worse than fever?”
Al-Nawawi said:
“This applies if he encounters obvious difficulty in fasting and is not subject to the condition that he reaches a point when he is unable to fast. Rather, our companions said: "The permission of abandoning fasting is subject to the condition that fasting causes the person such difficulty that it is hard for him to bear.
Al-Kharashi said in his commentary on Mukhtasar Khaleel, on the Maliki Fiqh: “Breaking the fast is allowed due to a sickness about which one fears that it will worsen because of fasting.”
The author of Ad-Durr Al-Mukhtaar, who is one of the Hanafi scholars, said regarding those who are permitted to break the fast: “…Or a sick person who fears that his sickness may intensify by fasting.”
Accordingly, if the condition of our questioner reached the degree that has been described by our prominent scholars, then he did what was permissible for him by breaking the fast. He is not required to do anything except make up for the days that he did not fast. However, if the sickness did not reach such a degree, then he has committed a sin by breaking his fast. In such case, he has to repent and ask Allah to forgive him and make up for the days in which he broke his fast, and then no expiation is due upon him.
Allah knows best.
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