( أَيَّامًا مَّعْدُودَاتٍ… ) (Fasting for] a limited number of days…): It is just days of course, as most scholars say that these verses were at the beginning of the fasting order when the Muslims had the choice to fast or not and fasting was just for three days; in the tenth, the twentieth and the thirtieth of the month. It had been only three days a month, then it became obligatory to fast the entire month of Ramadan. Therefore, there is no repetition in the verses, rather there is a graduation in the ruling in the Qur’an which came for the purpose of getting used to it, same as the case of the graduation in prohibiting Alcohol, because people used to drink Alcohol in society. Islam is always a religion of facilitation, as Allah (swt) facilitates matters to His servants. Thus, facilitation could be realized from the context of the verses. If a Muslim is ill or is traveling, he does not fast, but makes up an equal number of days later.

“Jabir bin Abdullah (Allah be pleased with both of them) reported that in the course of a journey, Allah’s Messenger (saws) saw a man, people crowding around him and providing him a shade. Upon this he (saws) said: “What is the matter with him?” They said: He is a person observing fast. Whereupon the Messenger of Allah said: “It is no righteousness that you fast on journey”^[1].

Thus, it is not righteousness to fast when traveling. The word journey (in Arabic) means to appear and become clear, and travel is a transition, and in the transition, there is a change of the habits. It is not the case that he traveled by plane, by car or riding a horse, with hardship or without hardship, it is a permission given by Allah (swt).

(… فَمَن كَانَ مِنكُم مَّرِيضًا أَوْ عَلَىٰ سَفَرٍ…  ) (..So whoever among you is ill or on a journey [during them] – then an equal number of days [are to be made up])…): If it was a matter of breaking the fast, Allah (swt) would have said: let him break the fast, but note the accuracy of the Holy Qur’anic and the greatness of the Book of Allah (swt). He says: (then an equal number of days [are to be made up]). “Let him break the fast” was not mentioned, because the One Who commanded him to fast, allowed him to break the fast. Have you seen how much this religion is that of facilitation? And how the takfiris and extremists want to turn it into a religion of cruelty, violence and takfir. Islam is a religion of facilitation, even the phrase “break the fast” is not mentioned by Allah (swt). Hence, the traveler and the sick have a permission to not fast, and then to fast after Ramadan the same number of days that they did not.

(… وَعَلَى الَّذِينَ يُطِيقُونَهُ فِدْيَةٌ طَعَامُ مِسْكِينٍ…  ) (..And upon those who are able [to fast, but with hardship] – a ransom of feeding a poor person…): Some scholars said that there is an omitted article (in Arabic, “La”) to mean (not able) but the most likely, however, is that the verse is clear and the word (not) is not omitted, because these verses are not the ones that referred to the obligatory fasting of the month of Ramadan. These verses are the rulings of fasting in general, before the ruling regarding Ramadan. Accordingly, these verses talk in general about those who endure fasting; they can either fast or pay a ransom instead.

At the beginning, Allah (swt) made them choose between fasting or feeding. If you cannot fast, then you must redeem your fast by feeding others. This religion does not kill others, but feeds others, gives others, and has mercy on others.

(…مِسْكِينٍ…  ) (..a poor person…): This had been before the fasting of the month of Ramadan became obligatory. If you cannot fast, then you should redeem it, that is, to feed a poor person for every day of fasting you missed.

(… فَمَن تَطَوَّعَ خَيْرًا فَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَّهُ…  ) (..And whoever volunteers excess – it is better for him…): He who feeds two poor people or more, it is better for him.

(… وَأَن تَصُومُوا خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ…  ) (..But to fast is best for you, if you only knew…): Allah (swt) is preparing the Muslim community to fast a whole month. These verses graduate the ruling in regard of fasting and its rulings; fasting the month of Ramadan before it becomes obligatory, then it is commanded as an obligatory in following verse:

{ فَمَن شَهِدَ مِنكُمُ الشَّهْرَ فَلْيَصُمْهُ ۖ }

(So whoever sights [the new moon of] the month, let him fast it.)  (Al-Baqarah: 185)

In which fasting the entire month of Ramadan has been ordained, and the subject is ended

However, regarding this verse, (And whoever volunteers excess – it is better for him. But to fast is best for you, if you only knew), if anyone comes and says that according to this verse and since he does not endure fasting, then he will  feed the food instead, we tell him that this choice had been first, and then the next verse was revealed which settled the matter and clarified it. This choice was over after the imposition of fasting Ramadan as a devotional pillar, a pillar of Islam. Thereof, this graduation in the ruling is willed by Allah (swt) until the society gets used to fasting the entire month of Ramadan.

[1] Sahih Muslim, The Book of Fasting, Chapter: It is permissible to fast or not to fast during Ramadan, no. 1115.