He works as a bus driver; is it permissible for him not to fast?

Fasting Ramadan is
obligatory for every Muslim who is an adult, of sound mind, not travelling
and in good health. If he is sick or is travelling, it is permissible for
him not to fast, because Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of
the meaning):

“O you who believe!
Observing As-Sawm (the fasting) is prescribed for you as it was prescribed
for those before you, that you may become Al-Muttaqoon (the pious).

(Observing Sawm (fasts))
for a fixed number of days, but if any of you is ill or on a journey, the
same number (should be made up) from other days”

[al-Baqarah 2:183-184]. 

Based on that, if your work
means that you have to travel in the bus to a place that is at the distance
at which it becomes permissible to shorten the prayers, which is
approximately eighty kilometers, then it is permissible for you not to fast
whilst travelling, and you can make up the days when you did not fast after
Ramadan is over, at times when it is easy to make them up, such as winter
days. 

If your work is inside the
city limits, then you must fast and it is haraam to break the fast, unless
you experience severe hardship on some day, in which case you may break the
fast (by eating or drinking) whatever will ward off that hardship, then
refrain from eating and drinking for the rest of that day, and make it up
later on. That is because of the general meaning of the evidence which
indicates that it is obligatory to protect oneself from death, to relieve
hardship and not to take on more than one is able to bear. 

It says in Sharh Muntaha
al-Iraadaat, 1/478: If a person’s work is (physically) hard and he will
be harmed by not working, and he fears harm, he may break the fast and make
it up later. That was stated by al-Aajurri. End quote. 

In al-Mawsoo‘ah
al-Fiqhiyyah (28/57) it says: The Hanafis say that in the case of the
craftsman who needs to earn his living, such as a baker or harvester, If he
knows that if he works at his craft it will cause him harm that makes it
permissible for him to break the fast, it is haraam for him to break the
fast before encountering hardship. End quote. 

It says in Fataawa
al-Lajnah ad-Daa’imah, 10/233: It is not permissible for one who is
accountable to break the fast during the day in Ramadan just because he is
working; but if he encounters severe hardship that forces him to break the
fast during the day, then he may break the fast (by eating or drinking)
whatever will ward off hardship, then he should refrain from eating and
drinking until sunset and break the fast with the people, then make up that
day on which he broke the fast. End quote. 

If you know that you will
not be able to combine fasting and work, then what you must do is look for
another job, or take a leave of absence from work so that you will be able
to perform this important pillar of Islam.

The Standing Committee for
Issuing Fatwas was asked: What is the Islamic ruling on the case of workers
who are doing physically hard work, especially during the summer months? I
can give you the example of those who are working with smelting furnaces
during the summer? 

They replied: 

It is well-known in Islam
that fasting the month of Ramadan is obligatory for everyone who is
accountable and it is one of the pillars of Islam. Everyone who is
accountable must strive to fast this month in fulfilment of what Allah has
enjoined upon him, in the hope of earning His reward and fearing His
punishment, without forgetting his share of this world and without
preferring worldly matters to the Hereafter. If fulfilling what Allah has
enjoined upon him of acts of worship conflicts with his worldly work, he has
to try to find room for both so that he will be able to do them both. In the
case given as an example in the question, he should make the night the time
for his worldly work. If that is not possible, then he may take a leave of
absence from his work during the month of Ramadan, even if that is without
pay. If that is not possible, he should look for another job in which he
will be able to combine both duties and his worldly concerns will not affect
his striving for the Hereafter. There are many kinds of work and ways of
earning money; it is not limited just to this kind of difficult work. The
Muslim will never be without ways of earning a permissible income whilst at
the same time being able to do the acts of worship that Allah has enjoined
upon him, by Allah’s leave.

“And whosoever fears
Allah and keeps his duty to Him, He will make a way for him to get out (from
every difficulty).

3. And He will provide
him from (sources) he never could imagine. And whosoever puts his trust in
Allah, then He will suffice him. Verily, Allah will accomplish his purpose.
Indeed Allah has set a measure for all things”

[al-Talaaq 65:2-3]. 

If we assume that he cannot
find any work other than what has been mentioned, which involves hardship,
and he fears that he may be subjected to unfair laws or required to do
things that prevent him from practising his religion and doing some of his
religious duties, then let him flee for the sake of his religion from that
land to another land where it will be easy for him to do what he needs to do
for both his religious and worldly interests, and let him cooperate with the
Muslims in righteousness and piety, for Allah’s earth is vast. Allah, may He
be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):

“He who emigrates (from
his home) in the Cause of Allah, will find on earth many dwelling places and
plenty to live by”

[an-Nisa’ 4:100]

“Say (O Muhammad SAW):
‘O My slaves who believe (in the Oneness of Allah Islamic Monotheism), fear
your Lord (Allah) and keep your duty to Him. Good is (the reward) for those
who do good in this world, and Allah’s earth is spacious (so if you cannot
worship Allah at a place, then go to another)! Only those who are patient
shall receive their rewards in full, without reckoning’”

[az-Zumar 39:10]. 

If he is not able to do any
of the above and he is compelled to do something like that which is
mentioned in the question of difficult work, he should fast until he feels
that it is beginning to get too hard, then he may eat and drink enough to
prevent that hardship, then refrain from eating and drinking (for the rest
of that day). And he has to make up that fast on days when it is easy for
him to fast. End quote. 

Fataawa al-Lajnah
ad-Daa’imah, 10/234 

And Allah knows best.