Answer:
Allah Almighty has granted permission to a traveler or a temporarily ill person to leave the fast during the month of Ramadan due to a valid excuse. However, He also says:
“And if you fast, it is better for you, if you only knew.”
(Surah Al-Baqarah 2:184)
This means that although skipping the fast is permitted during travel, fasting is better if the person is able to do so without hardship.
It is mentioned in a Hadith that Hazrat Hamzah bin Amr Al-Aslami (RA), who used to fast frequently, asked the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) about fasting during travel. The Prophet (peace be upon him) replied:
“It is up to you: if you wish, you may fast, and if you wish, you may leave it.”
(Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 1943)
This clearly shows that a traveler has a choice. If fasting is not difficult, they may keep the fast. If it causes hardship, they may leave it.
However, a traveler or a temporarily sick person cannot pay fidyah (compensation) instead of fasting to fulfill the obligation. They must make up (perform qada of) the missed fasts after returning from the journey or after recovering from illness.
