The Age And Definition Of A Shaikh E Faani

Concerning the age of a “Shaikh e Faani”, Huzoor Ala-Hazrat Alaihir Rahma writes in Fataawa Razviyyah Shareef: A Shaikh e Faani's age is written as eighty or ninety years, and the ruling is based on the condition of his health. If a hundred-year-old person is able to fast, then he shall not be categorised as a “Shaikh e Faani”. Similarly if a person is seventy years old and due to frailty, feebleness and old age, that person does not possess physical strength or the ability and capacity to fast, then he will be categorised as a Shaikh e Faani. Therefore, a person being classified as a Shaikh e Faani is that person who has been designated as frail and weak due to old age. So, when the cause or condition is weakness or feebleness due to old age and there remains no hope of his condition changing for the better, then the Shari’ah Ruling concerning such a person is that he will pay Fidya (compensation) instead of Fasting. (Fataawa Razviyyah Shareef, Vol.10, Page Number 549) Huzoor Sadrush-Shariah Alaihir Rahma explains Shaikh e Faani in Bahaar e Shariat as follows: A Shaikh e Faani is defined as such an elderly person whose condition becomes weaker each day due to old age. That person then reaches a condition where he is not able to keep fast any longer meaning that there is no real hope or expectation that he will have sufficient strength to fast in

the future, then such a person will be exempted from fasting. It then becomes Waajib upon him to give Fidya in lieu of every fast he has missed. He should therefore feed a Miskeen (needy person) two full meals a day for every fast missed, or he should give in charity to a needy person the amount designated for Sadqa e Fitr in compensation of each fast. (Bahaar e Shariat, Volume 5, Page Number 133, Qadri Kitaab Ghar - Bareilly Shareef) As for when and how a Shaikh e Faani will pay compensation, it is mentioned in Bahaar e Shariat as follows: "He has the choice of either giving the Fidya of all the fasts at the beginning of the month of Ramadaan, all at once, or he may give it at the end. Also, there are no necessary conditions to appoint a guardian or executor to fulfil this possession (Tamleek) as Ibaahat (consent) is sufficient. Furthermore, it is also not necessary for one to pay the amount of Fidya one has, to that number of Miskeen (i.e. it does not mean that if he has five days he has to give it to five separate Miskeen), but one Miskeen can be given the Fidya of multiple days. (Bahaar e Shariat, volume 5, Page Number 133) And it is in Fataawa Shaami:

Translation: And it is permissible for a Shaikh e Faani, who is unable to fast, not to fast, and he will pay the compulsorily compensation, even if he pays at the beginning of the month. And even if (the distribution is not carried out to many poor persons) as there may not be many poor people, then too it is acceptable. If the Shaikh e Faani can afford it then the compensation should be given in accordance with how Sadaqatul Fitr is distributed, otherwise he should earnestly seek forgiveness from Allah Almighty. (Fataawa Shaami, Volume 4, Page Number 149/150, Chapter of Fasting -Ziaul-Quran Publications Lahore)

It has been also mentioned in Al-Bahrur-Raa’iq:

Translation: If he wishes, he can pay the Fidya once at the beginning of Ramadan, and if he wishes, he can pay the Fidya once at the end of Ramadan. (Al-Bahrur Raa’iq, Volume 2, Page Number 502, Chapter of Fasting).