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Ramadan 2027

Fasting While Traveling

The concession

“And whoever is ill or on a journey — then an equal number of other days” (Qur’an 2:185). A traveller may break the fast and make the day up later.

Fast or break?

Anas reported that the companions travelled with the Prophet ﷺ, some fasting and some not, and neither criticised the other (Sahih al-Bukhari 1947). Where fasting causes real hardship, breaking it is better; the Prophet ﷺ said of one who fasted with great difficulty on a journey: “It is not righteousness to fast while travelling” (Sahih al-Bukhari 1946).

Practical points scholars discuss

  • The journey must be one commonly considered travel; the classical schools cite distances around 80 km, and contemporary scholars differ on modern equivalents.
  • The concession applies once you have left your town, not while still at home.
  • If you begin a fast and then travel, most scholars allow completing it or breaking it.
  • Time zones: your fast ends at Maghrib where you actually are, including on a plane.

Attribution: the rulings summarised here are the positions recorded in the classical schools and the well known hadith collections. They are presented for information, not as a fatwa. For your own situation, ask a qualified scholar in your community.

The concession is tied to actual travel

The Qur’an allows a traveller to defer the fast and make the day up later. Practical details—what distance counts, when traveller status begins and how long it continues—are treated differently across legal schools.

Flights and time zones

When fasting on a flight, the observed day can shorten or lengthen dramatically. A static timetable for the departure city is no longer a reliable description of the traveller’s position once the aircraft has crossed multiple longitudes.

Frequently asked questions

Can I fast on a long-haul flight?

Yes, and the fast ends at sunset as observed from the aircraft. Flying east can shorten the day considerably and flying west can lengthen it, which is a valid reason to take the traveller’s concession.

How many days must I make up?

The Qur’an requires an equal number of missed days to be made up. Details about delay beyond the next Ramadan can differ by school, so follow the position you trust.