When an employment makes it difficult to fast

Question:

A person is employed somewhere and the intense heat makes it
extremely difficult for him to fast. In fact, the severe thirst is beyond
his control. Also, he cannot obtain a leave from his job. Is there room
for such a person to abstain from fasting?

Answer:

Such a worker must try to obtain leave during the month of Ramadan.
If he gets a leave, he must fast. If he does not get a leave and he cannot
do without the job, he must commence the fast and keep it for as long
as he can. Once it goes beyond his ability, he must drink water while
seeking forgiveness. He must then keep qada of the fast later on. It is
essential for him to commence with the fast at the beginning of the
day.

It is not permitted to leave out a fast because of the work that a person
is doing. He must therefore keep the fast. However, when his fast
reaches the level where he cannot fast any longer, he must break it. In
such a case, qada will be wajib but not kaffarah.1

Allah ta‛ala knows best.

Reference:

1 Āp Ke Masa’il Aur Oen Ka Hull, vol. 3, p. 274.