Short answer
No. A traveller on a journey of about 77 km (48 miles) or more may skip the fast and make it up later, though the Hanafi school says fasting is better if it causes no hardship. You must have left your town before fajr: if you begin the day at home, you complete that day's fast.
A shar'i traveller, who has set out on a journey of 48 miles or more and left the built-up area of their town, may leave the Ramadan fast and make it up; fasting is better when there is no hardship. A person who was resident at dawn must complete that day's fast even if they travel later, and breaking it requires qada only. Intending to stay fifteen days or more in one place ends the concession there.
Other madhhabs
- Shafi'i
- Fasting is better if it causes no harm, as in the Hanafi school, but the concession ends when you intend to stay four full days or more.
- Maliki
- Fasting is better if it causes no hardship, as in the Hanafi school, but the concession ends when you intend to stay four days or more.
- Hanbali
- Not fasting is better for the traveller, and someone who sets out during the day may break that day's fast. The concession ends when you intend to stay more than four days.
Explanation
The Quran gives the traveller the same concession as the sick person: leave the fast and make up an equal number of days. A companion who fasted a great deal asked the Prophet ﷺ about fasting on journeys, and he replied that he could fast if he wished or not fast if he wished.
Conditions in the Hanafi school:
- The journey is about 77 km (48 miles) or more, one way.
- You have passed the built-up area of your town before fajr.
- You have not decided to stay fifteen days or more in one place.
Better to fast or not? The Quran says fasting is better for you, so the Hanafi school prefers fasting when the journey is easy. When it is hard, not fasting is better: the Prophet ﷺ saw a man collapsing from fasting on a journey and said that it is not righteousness to fast while travelling.
Flights. If you fast on a plane, you break your fast when the sun sets where you are, which may be earlier or later than at home. If you have broken the fast as a traveller and arrive home during the day, hold back from food for the rest of the day out of respect. For prayer while travelling, see qasr prayer.
The evidence
Quran, Surah Al-Baqara 2:184
أَيَّامًۭا مَّعْدُودَٰتٍۢ ۚ فَمَن كَانَ مِنكُم مَّرِيضًا أَوْ عَلَىٰ سَفَرٍۢ فَعِدَّةٌۭ مِّنْ أَيَّامٍ أُخَرَ ۚ وَعَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ يُطِيقُونَهُۥ فِدْيَةٌۭ طَعَامُ مِسْكِينٍۢ ۖ فَمَن تَطَوَّعَ خَيْرًۭا فَهُوَ خَيْرٌۭ لَّهُۥ ۚ وَأَن تَصُومُوا۟ خَيْرٌۭ لَّكُمْ ۖ إِن كُنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ ﴿١٨٤﴾
[Fasting for] a limited number of days. So whoever among you is ill or on a journey [during them] - then an equal number of days [are to be made up]. And upon those who are able [to fast, but with hardship] - a ransom [as substitute] of feeding a poor person [each day]. And whoever volunteers excess - it is better for him. But to fast is best for you, if you only knew.
The traveller may leave the fast and make it up later; the same verse says fasting is best.
Sahih al-Bukhari 1943
Sahih... إن شئت فصم وإن شئت فأفطر ...
"Fast if you wish, and do not fast if you wish."
The traveller has the choice.
Sahih al-Bukhari 1946
Sahih... ليس من البر الصوم في السفر ...
"It is not righteousness to fast while travelling."
Said of a man suffering from his fast; when travel brings hardship, not fasting is better.
Where the ruling is recorded
- al-Hidaya, Kitab al-Sawm, chapter on what requires qada and kaffarah, section on the traveller. Fasting is better for the traveller who is not harmed by it; the resident at dawn who then travels may not break that day's fast.
- al-Hidaya, Kitab al-Salah, chapter on the traveller's prayer. The distance of travel and the intention of staying fifteen days.
- al-Mughni (Ibn Qudama), Kitab al-Siyam. The Hanbali view that breaking the fast is better for the traveller.
This answer is pending review by the scholars on our team. Quran translation by Sahih International. Hadith Arabic from the standard editions of the six books and the Muwatta, with gradings as recorded there; the English is our own rendering. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.