Question Summary:
I have to ask about a very serious problem pertaining to my fasts..

Question Detail:

asalam o alikum I have to ask about a very serious problem pertaining to my fasts.I am a hanafi muslim and want an answer according to that.Now this the problem which refers to one being completely and innocently ignorant.It is a problem regarding to Ramadan fasts and the the missing ramadan fasts which are kept afterwards.Islam has a very humanistic approach and I want a correct answer to the problem as I am confused and worn away.I belong to Pakistan.Since my childhood my parents and their grand parents used to say that you can keep on eating until the Adhan of Fajar,till the last azan.Now in almost every ramadan I and my family used to eat And there are about 450 fasts which i kept like this including the qaza fasts.Now when I am an adult I am so depressed as a mufti sahib told me all your fasts are invalid as you should have concluded your eating at the start of adhan.It is now not humaly possible to keep all those fasts.I have got so low spirited that I have stopped fasting my remaining qaza fats as Allah have not accepted my previous fasts.I have given up!!! Then I turned to a website www.islam.qa.com which says that"It is obligatory for the fasting person to refrain from things which break the fast from the true dawn until the sun sets. What is means is when dawn breaks, not the adhaan. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “and eat and drink until the white thread (light) of dawn appears to you distinct from the black thread (darkness of night)”And another mufti sahib says that To partake in Suhur and to delay it until Subah Sadiq (break of dawn) is Mustahab (peferable). (Nurul Idhah Pg. 148) Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said, "Partake in Suhur as there is Barakah (blessings) in it." And He (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) also said,"There are three habits from the apostles of Allah Ta''ala, 1) To break the fast quickly 2) To delay Suhur until (Subah Sadiq) I gained hope now another mufti sahib told me that Your fasts are not valid.What should I do now.Is there an alternate or I will have to keep All 450 fasts which I think is a great ordeal and now how can I do it.I mean are you not supposed to be given some compensation or the rule is that strict. jazakallah khair

Answer :

In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful
One should never forget that Allah Ta’ala is the most compassionate and the most merciful. Allah Ta’ala loves his servant more than a mother loves her child. He appreciates any action his servant does to gain his pleasure no matter how futile the act may seem. Here you had made an effort to observe the fasts of Ramadhan for the pleasure of Allah but because of ignorance, you had invalidated your fasts by eating after the true dawn.
Allah Ta’ala is aware of your intention and will reward you for it. However, as a principle, it is incumbent on you to make Qadha of those fasts whenever possible. You will not be sinful as you were sincere in your intention to observe the fasts of Ramadhan and to fulfill the obligation of Allah upon you.

And Allah Ta’ala Knows Best.
Suhail Tarmahomed
Student: Darul Ifta
Checked & approved by:
Mufti Ebrahim Desai