The official Fatwa Center of the General Authority for Islamic Affairs and Endowments issued 10 official fatwas in response to questions and inquiries of patients infected with the emerging coronavirus (COFED-19), the majority of which focused on fasting and performing prayers during the holy month of Ramadan.
The most important responses included a fatwa insufficient extraction of a ransom for a person who was infected with the virus, who was unable to fast the month of Ramadan due to the conditions of his illness, as he stressed that fasting should be spent after recovery.
The Center, on its official page on the social media platform, "Instagram", answered a large number of questions posed by people living with the virus about matters related to prayer and fasting during the holy month of Ramadan, as the first question was from one of the injured about his inability to fast Ramadan due to treatment with the virus. He must pay zakat al-Fitr on his behalf and on his wife and children, and the center replied: “You must pay zakat al-Fitr, on behalf of you and your wife and children, as long as you are able to do it, because it is an independent obligation not related to fasting, and it is required to fast after recovery, God willing.”
The center responded to a question from another victim about the possibility of taking out a ransom for fasting instead of making up for fasting, because he was unable to fast due to "corona", that he is required to spend the days in which he breaks his fast after recovering from illness, and no ransom is required.
In a question about the permissibility of gathering prayer in order to facilitate the person with the virus, and is it permissible to shorten it, the center affirmed that “it is not permissible for the patient to shorten the prayer, because the palace is specific to travel”, while answering a question about whether the use of the artificial respirator during fasting spoils the fast, saying : "Using a respirator does not invalidate the fast, because what is sent is just an air, but if added therapeutic substances reach the throat, it breaks the fast."
In response to a question: "Does drawing blood for medical exams break the fast or not?", The Center stated that drawing blood from the fasting person for medical exams and others does not affect the validity of his fast.
He also stated in another question that the medical swab to examine the suspect of having a "corona" whether from the nose or mouth "does not affect the health of fasting, as it does not result in the arrival of something that spoils the fast to the hollow, so that the fasting person does not break the fast until he enters his hollow, As for what is visible on the body, or in the mouth or nose, it does not affect the validity of fasting.
The center answered a question for one of the patients with the virus about the possibility of performing prayer on the bed without movement, or receiving the qiblah, because of the presence of respiratory and nutrient devices, saying: “You should seek the help of those who perform ablution or do the ablution when you are unable to perform ablution, and you can pray according to your ability, and if you do not You can do ablution or do ablution, then it is okay to perform the prayer according to your ability, and the precaution is to repeat it after recovery. ”
A patient asked a question in which he said: “As a result of the painkillers that I get to sleep at times, how do I make up what I missed from them? Should I postpone it until the second day? ” The center replied by saying: “There is nothing wrong with you legally delaying the prayer because of sleep, and you must spend the prayer that you missed, as if you were praying on time, and the prayer that you missed should be spent as soon as you can make it up, and it is not permissible to delay it for the next day.”
A patient asked a question in which he said: “I used to perform Umrah every year during Ramadan, but this year I was unable to perform Umrah due to my injury to Corona, and to suspend the movement of travel. God knows that if I were able to do Umrah, I would have done it. The Center answered him, stressing that he had a reward for Umrah in Ramadan with his intention, explaining that “it is from the grace of God that he who persists in a good work and was not able to do it for something outside his control, he will be rewarded with his full wages with his intention.”
The last questions of patients with the virus came about how to occupy the time with good deeds during quarantine, and what are the best deeds that must be increased. The center replied by saying: “One of the best deeds is the easiest to mention God, so his reward is great, and he does not need purity or a specific body, for the Prophet was May God’s prayers and peace be upon him reminds God at all times, stressing the importance of abundant mention of God, praise, forgiveness, recitation of the Qur’an, and prayer on the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him.
10 fatwas
- “It is not permissible for the patient to limit the prayer, because the limit is for travel.”
Artificial respiration does not invalidate the fast if it is free from substances that reach the throat.
- “Drawing blood from the fasting person for tests does not affect the validity of his fasting.”
- “Zakat al-Fitr is obligatory for those who can afford it, and it is not related to fasting.”
- "The medical smear to examine (Corona) does not affect the health of fasting."
- “Prayer can be performed according to ability, and it is necessary to repeat it after recovery.”
- “Whoever perseveres in good work and stops it for something that is beyond his control, he will be rewarded.”
- “God mentioned his reward is great and does not require purity or a specific body.”
- There is nothing wrong with delaying prayer because of painkillers, but it must be spent.
- “My injured (Coffid-19) break the fast and spend their days after recovery.”