Question:
Assalamu ‘alaykum respected Mufti
I want to know that if a person just decides not to fast in Ramadhan does he become a kafir.
(Question published as received)
Answer:
In the name of Allāh, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-raḥmatullāhi wa-barakātuh
The obligation of fasting in Ramaḍān has been established through the Qur’ān and Sunnah (authentic Aḥādīth). The Fuqahā’ have stated that the one who negates the obligation of fasting in Ramaḍān has lost his Īmān and the one who does not observe the Ramaḍān fasts without a valid reason is a Fāsiq (flagrant sinner). [1]
And Allah Ta‘ālā knows best
(Mufti) Bilal al-Mahmudi
Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai
عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: مَنْ صَامَ رَمَضَانَ، إِيمَانًا وَاحْتِسَابًا، غُفِرَ لَهُ مَا تَقَدَّمَ مِنْ ذَنْبِهِ. (صحيح البخاري. دار طوق النجاة (1/ 16))
وَهُوَ فَرِيضَةٌ مَحْكَمَةٌ يَكْفُرُ جَاحِدُهَا وَيَفْسُقُ تَارِكُهَا. ثَبَتَتْ فَرْضِيَّتُهُ بِالْكِتَابِ وَهُوَ قَوْله تَعَالَى: {فَمَنْ شَهِدَ مِنْكُمُ الشَّهْرَ فَلْيَصُمْهُ} [البقرة: 185] وقَوْله تَعَالَى: {كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الصِّيَامُ} [البقرة: 183] . وَبِالسُّنَّةِ وَهُوَ مَا مَرَّ مِنَ الْحَدِيثِ فِي كِتَابِ الصَّلَاةِ، وَقَوْلُهُ – عَلَيْهِ الصَّلَاةُ وَالسَّلَامُ -: «صُومُوا شَهْرَكُمْ» وَعَلَيْهِ إِجْمَاعُ الْأُمَّةِ. (الاختيار لتعليل المختار. مطبعة الحلبي – القاهرة (1/ 125))