The Case of One Who Begins a Journey or Returns from a Journey in the Month of Ramadan

“I once asked abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), about a man who comes out of his house to travel and he is fasting. He (the Imam) said, ‘If he has come out before midday he is required to stop fasting and complete its Qada’ (compensatory fast) but if he has come out after Zawal (declining of the sun toward the west at noontime), he is required to complete his fast (of that day).”’

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘If one comes out for a journey in the month of Ramadan after Zawal (declining of the sun toward the west at noontime) one is required to complete his fast. If one comes out before Zawal (declining of the sun toward the west at noontime), then one must stop fasting.’”

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about a man who travels in the month of Ramadan, if he is required to fast or stop fasting. He (the Imam) said, ‘If he goes out before Zawal (declining of the sun toward the west at noontime), he stops fasting; and if he goes out after Zawal (declining of the sun toward the west at noontime), then he fasts.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘This comes from the words of Ali (a.s.), that say, “I fast and stop fasting until it is Zawal (declining of the sun toward the west at noontime), thereafter it is definitely obligatory on me, meaning thereby fasting.’””

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘If a man travels in the month of Ramadan and goes out after midday, he is required to fast that day and count it as that of the month of Ramadan. If he enters a place before dawn and wants to stay there (for ten days), he must fast that day, but if he enters after dawn, there he is not obligated for anything but he can fast if he wants.’”

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about a man who comes home from a journey in the month of Ramadan until he can see that he is about to arrive home at noon or when the day is high. He (the Imam) said, ‘If it is dawn and he has not yet arrived in his family, it then is up to him to fast or not to fast.’”

“I once asked abu Ja‘far (a.s.), about a man who comes from his journey and arrives in his family when it is morning and the day is high. He (the Imam) said, ‘If it is dawn and he is not yet arrived in his family, then he has the choice to fast or not to fast.’”

“I once asked abu al-Hassan (a.s.), about a man who comes home from a journey in the month of Ramadan before Zawal (declining of the sun toward the west at noontime) and has not tasted any food as yet. He (the Imam) said, ’He is required to fast.’”

“I once asked him (the Imam) (a.s.), about a man who arrives in his family before Zawal (declining of the sun toward the west at noontime) and has used food already. He (the Imam) said, ’It is not proper for him to eat anything that day and he must not fall (for sexual relation) on his wife, if he has a wife.’”

“He (the Imam) (a.s.), about a man who arrives from a journey in his family in the month of Ramadan and has already used food before his arrival, he (the Imam) said, that he must abstain from eating for the rest of the day and he is required to complete its Qada’ (compensatory fasting).’ About a traveler who arrives in his family before Zawal (declining of the sun toward the west at noontime) and has not used any food but has experienced a wet dream, he is required to complete that fast. He is not required to carry out Qada’ (compensatory fast) for it, that is, if his experience is because of wet dream.’”