Grand Ayatollah Shirazi remarks on true example of “sheikh” and “sheikha” regarding fasting
The daily scholarly meeting of Grand Ayatollah Seyyed Sadegh al-Hosseini al-Shirazi was held on Wednesday, the third of Sha’ban. In this session, like the previous meetings, the Marja answered the questions of the attendees about various jurisprudence issues.
Grand Ayatollah Shirazi discussed the criterion and true examples of Sheikh and Sheikha, and said: For determining the true examples of Sheikh and Sheikha, the criterion is not age, but it is defined by Urf. This issue is mentioned in Urwa al-Wuthgha, and typically accepted by jurists. It is possible that a person at the age of 60 has a good physical condition and is healthy, but another person may be weak and lethargic at the age of 50.
His Eminence continued: In the Arabic language, those over 40 years of age are called sheikh, but if fasting does not harm the sheikhs and sheikhas, even if they are old, none of the jurists have issued a fatwa on the permissibility of them not to fast.
He also emphasized: Someone has narrated that he saw Amir al-Mu’minin when all his blessed beard was white and there was not even a single strand of black hair among them. The Holy Prophet and Amir al-Mu’minin (peace be upon them) both observed fasting to the end of their lives at the age of 63. Imam Ali fasted regularly until the 18th day of the holy month of Ramadan, even though he was a sheikh as defined by Arabic terms.
Grand Ayatollah Shirazi discussed the rulings of fidya in this regard, and said: Therefore, Sheikh and Sheikha are titles but not specifications that exempt people from fasting. If due to old age a person reaches a point where they do not fast because of general weakness, and not because of risking an illness, they must pay two fidyas, one fidya for breaking the fast in the holy month of Ramadan, and one fidya for not being able to fulfill the required Qada when they are not able to. However, a traveler and a sick person must only pay one fidya if they do not fulfill the Qada.
Referring to verse 184 of Surah Al-Baqarah: You fast for a certain number of days, i.e. (the entire month of Ramadan), and whoever is sick or traveling among you observes fasting according to the missed number of days on other days outside the month of Ramadan, and those for whom fasting is a burden, they must instead give fidya every day so much that a hungry poor person is satisfied, and whoever adds to this good practice, it is better for them, and fasting will be better for you if you knew (its benefits); The Marja said: The issue that some people should not fast and instead should pay fidya has been emphasized in the Holy Quran.
