Must one who intends to travel in Ramadan make the intention to break their fast the night before, and if the journey is canceled, is one obligated to fast, or may one break their fast until they are certain of their travel?
Whoever intends to travel in Ramadan starting tomorrow must form the intention to fast overnight, and it is not permissible for him to break his fast until he has left the city limits and passed beyond its houses.
This is supported by what Ibn Qudamah stated: "If this is established, then it is not permissible for him to break his fast until he leaves the houses behind him, meaning he passes them and exits from among their buildings."
However, if the airplane trip is canceled before he leaves the city, he remains on his fast which he had intended.
Ibn Qudamah clarified the situations of a traveler in Ramadan, which are: 1. If Ramadan begins while one is traveling: It is permissible for him to break his fast by consensus. 2. If one travels at night during the month: It is permissible for him to break his fast on the morning of the day he traveled and thereafter. 3. If one travels during a day in Ramadan: For the following day, his ruling is like someone who traveled at night. As for the same day, there are two narrations from Ahmad: one is the permissibility of breaking the fast, which is the view of Amr ibn Shurahbil, Al-Sha'bi, Ishaq, Dawud, and Ibn al-Mundhir. They base this on the action of Abu Basrah al-Ghifari, who broke his fast before passing the houses, and on the argument that travel permits breaking the fast, just like the onset of illness.
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
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