1. Ask A Question About Islam And Muslims
  2. Ask A Question About Islam And Muslims

Ask A Question About Islam And Muslims

96 Questions

As Ramadan approaches, I would like to know if I can fast with chronic cholecystitis and gallstone disease, especially since my doctor has advised gallbladder removal surgery. If fasting is not permitted, what are my compensatory options?
Zaid Alsalami

Bismihi ta'āla

You must follow what your specialist doctor advises. If they have said you are not allowed to fast, as it will make your situation more severe, and your health will deteriorate, then you must not fast.

If you know for a fact that you can fast, and you can manage your situation, like sleeping during most of the day, and taking your medication at night, and it wont harm you, then do so.

If you need to get the surgery done, then also pursue that as well. 

If you are not going to fast, then the compensation is to pay  'fidyah', which is 750grams of food to the poor, for each day.

And Allah knows best
Why do Shias begin Ramadan a day later than Sunnis? What is the reasoning behind this difference? If someone lives in a predominantly Sunni community, is there any issue with starting Ramadan when they do?
Amina Inloes

There isn't a fixed difference between Sunnis and Shi'is for determining the beginning of the month of Ramadan. However, many Sunnis follow the announcement from Saudi Arabia for the beginning of the month of Ramadan. Unfortunately, sometimes, Saudia Arabia announces the sighting of the moon at a time when it is astronomically impossible to see it. (One can verify this using astronomical software) 

Most Shi'is follow local moonsighting (or via a shared horizon; either via the naked eye, as per Ayatollah Sistani, or with the help of an optical aid, such as Ayatollah Khamene'i). Some Sunnis do this also. 

Where one is in the world also affects differences in determining the beginning of the month. (You can visit moonsighting.com to see graphs of where the moon is visible and when.)

Anyway it is fine to fast on the last day or days of the month of Sha'ban, but counting the days of the month of Ramadan is useful for observing laylat al-qadr.
When does fasting start in Ramadan? Is it at the sound of the Fajr Adhan or at sunrise?
Sayyed Mohammad Al-Musawi

Fasting starts from Fajr and ends on Maghrib.

Wassalam,
If I share with someone I trust that I am fasting during a month other than Ramadan because I enjoy sharing, does that make my fast a pointless act?
Amina Inloes

You are allowed to share.