It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Huraira, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "Beware of fasting continuously without breaking." The people said: "Do you do so, O Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him?" He replied: "I am not like you; my Lord gives me food and drink during the night."

Imam Malik, may Allah have mercy on him, said: If a person is obligated to fast two consecutive months due to accidental killing or zihar, and he begins the fasts but in between is afflicted by such an illness that the sequence of fasts is broken, then when he recovers from the illness and is able to fast, he should immediately resume fasting, and the fasts he has already kept will be counted, meaning those fasts will be included in the reckoning. Similarly, if a woman is obligated to fast two months consecutively due to accidental killing and she begins fasting but menstruation occurs in between, then as soon as she becomes pure from menstruation, she should resume fasting, and the previous fasts will be counted, meaning those fasts will be included in the reckoning. And for the person upon whom two consecutive months of fasting are obligatory, it is not permissible for him to break the fast in between except due to illness or menstruation, and it is not allowed that he travels and breaks the fast because of that. Imam Malik, may Allah have mercy on him, said: This is a good statement which I have heard in this matter.

Imam Malik, may Allah have mercy on him, said: What I have heard from the people of knowledge is that when a sick person is afflicted with such an illness that fasting becomes hard for him, and fasting causes him hardship, and the illness reaches such a degree, then it is permissible for him to break the fast. Similarly, when it becomes difficult for a sick person to stand in prayer, and the illness reaches such a degree that it is considered an excuse in the sight of Allah, Glorious and Exalted is He, and Allah knows better about the servant than the servant himself, and among these illnesses are some that do not reach this degree. In any case, when the illness reaches this degree, then he should pray sitting, because the religion of Allah, the Exalted, is easy, and Allah, Glorious and Exalted is He, has given the traveler a concession not to fast, even though he is more able to fast than the sick person. Allah, Glorious and Exalted is He, said in His Holy Book: "Whoever among you is sick or on a journey, then he should fast the same number of other days." Thus, Allah, Glorious and Exalted is He, has given the traveler a concession to break the fast, even though he is more able to fast than the sick person. And this is most pleasing to me among the statements I have heard in this chapter, and in our view, this matter is agreed upon and there is consensus on it.