It is permissible for the traveling person not to fast in Ramadan and to make up for these missed days whether he is traveling before the month starts or embarks upon travel during the month. Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {So whoever sights [the new moon of] the month, let him fast it; and whoever is ill or on a journey - then an equal number of other days [are to be made up].} [Quran 2:185] Anas Ibn Maalik, may Allah be pleased with him, said, “We used to travel with the Prophet . The fasting person did not use to criticize the one who did not observe fasting and vice versa.” [Al-Bukhari & Muslim] It is also narrated in collections of the Sunnah that some Companions used to refrain from fasting once they departed from the populated area of their city, and would say that It is practice of the Prophet, .

The travelling person has the option not to fast as long as he does not intend by this travel not to observe fasting. If this is his intention, then, the person is punished by the opposite of his intention; then, it is unlawful for such a person to take the concession of breaking his fast while travelling. According to the majority of scholars, if the person decides to stay in a country for more than four days, he should fast because the rulings of travelling no longer apply to him.

Some scholars said that it is better for the travelling person to choose the option easier to him, to fast or not. Abu Sa‘eed Al-Khudri, may Allah be pleased with him, said, “They - the Companions of the Prophet - used to see that if the travelling person finds himself able to fast and then fasts, then this is good. If he feels that he is too weak to fast and does not observe fasting, then that is good too.” [Muslim] Hamzah Ibn ‘Amr Al-Aslami, may Allah be pleased with him, asked the Prophet, , “Should I observe fasting when traveling [He used to fast a lot]?” The Prophet, , said: “If you wish to fast, then do so. If you wish not to fast, then don't.” [Al-Bukhari & Muslim] If it is difficult for him to fast, then it is unlawful to observe fasting because it is narrated in a Saheeh Hadeeth that the Prophet did not fast during a journey when it became too difficult for people to fast. He was told that some people observed fasting; accordingly, he said: “Those are the disobedient. Those are the disobedient.” Jaabir, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated that, "The Messenger of Allah was on a journey, and he saw a crowd of people and a man who was being shaded. He asked, 'What is this?' They said, 'He is fasting.' He said: 'It is not an act of righteousness to fast whilst travelling.'” [Al-Bukhari & Muslim]

In case fasting and not fasting are equal to a person in terms of hardship or ease, then it is better to fast in order to make the most of this honored time. Also, fasting with people is more encouraging and quicker to remove the liability, and the Prophet, , did it in some journeys. However, Imaam Ahmad and a group of scholars were of the opinion that it is better for the traveling person not to observe fasting even if it is not exhausting in order to take advantage of the granted concession by Allah as Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {So whoever sights [the new moon of] the month, let him fast it; and whoever is ill or on a journey - then [fast] an equal number of other days.} [Quran 2:185] Also, they preferred this because of the Hadeeth that states: “Allah likes His concessions to be observed.” This was the last option that the Prophet, , went for in his last journey. It is also authentically proven that some Companions used refrain from fasting upon departing from the populated area of their city, and would say that It is practice of the Prophet, .