Grand Ayatollah Shirazi: Enduring Hardship is Permissible, Not Forbidden

On Saturday evening of the seventh night of Ramadan, Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Sadiq Hosseini Shirazi led his daily scholarly session at his honourable residence, during which the supreme Marja addressed various jurisprudential questions posed by attendees.

In his remarks, Grand Ayatollah Shirazi emphasized that enduring hardship is not forbidden; rather, it is permissible. He stated, “Enduring hardship is not haram (forbidden) but rather allowed, as fasting is meant to provide ease, not obligation.” He explained that elderly individuals have the option to either endure difficulties and fast or to break their fast and make up for it after Ramadan.

He referenced the views of the late author of “Urwat al-Wuthqa” and many other jurists, who have noted that the concept of fear can coexist with doubt and suspicion. He added that in such circumstances, “fear” of not fasting is valid. However, he clarified that if the probability of hardship is low—such as one, five, or ten percent—then that probability is not considered rational.

Furthermore, he pointed out that the term “probability” does not appear in the Hadith; instead, the term “fear” is used. Therefore, probabilities like one, five, and ten percent do not equate to “fear.”