Question
a person is keeping the kaffara 60 fasts. unintentionally he broke a fast according to the sunset time and not the maghrib time, he was at work so no masjid azaan and followed a timetable downloaded from Internet. my question is should he start the 60 fasts again?
Answer
In principle, the actual time for the termination of a fast is sunset. If the person therefore broke his fast as per the sunset time as indicated on a timetable, and at the time of breaking the fast he had a dominant presumption (most likely feeling) that the sun has set, then his fast is valid even if he broke his fast before the commencement of the Maghrib Azhaan. If this is what occurred then he will not be required to recommence the sixty fast of Kaffaarah.
However, in future, as a matter of precaution, one should break one’s fast a few minutes after the actual sunset time (which is generally the time when the Maghrib Azhaan starts).
Checked and Approved By:
Mufti Muhammed Saeed Motara Saheb D.B.
References
(رد المحتار ٤٢٠/٤١٩-٢)
(رد المحتار ٢/٣٧١)