Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Assalamu Alaikum

Dear Brother, I am a regular reader of yours and I find your site very useful. I am having some doubts and hope you will clear it as soon as possible.
1) I am 2 months pregnant. My doctor adviced me not to starve for long. So I am not able to fast this holy month. I heard that if some one is not fasting due to some health problem or such, they should keep aside an amount for each day you are not fasting and should give this to some poor who is in need. And this should be done from the 20th day of Ramdaan. Is this true or is there any other way? And if this is the correct way, what amount should be kept aside - is it according to my monthly income or my husband`s income or is it some thing that one can buy some food to break fast.
2) One of my friend who is 6 months pregnant is also not able to fast because she is having diabetics. Is she also excluded from fasting?
3) What about fasting for mother who are breast feeding?
4) Can you please make clear in what all conditions fasting is not compulsory?

Hope u will clear all my doubts as soon as possible. May God bless u for your great work.

Best Regards  

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Answer:

Pregnant and fasting

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Your Question-1: I am 2 months pregnant. My doctor adviced me not to starve for long. So I am not able to fast this holy month. I heard that if some one is not fasting due to some health problem or such, they should keep aside an amount for each day you are not fasting and should give this to some poor who is in need. And this should be done from the 20th day of Ramdaan. Is this true or is there any other way? And if this is the correct way, what amount should be kept aside - is it according to my monthly income or my husband`s income or is it some thing that one can buy some food to break fast.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 2 Surah Baqarah verses 183-185:

183 O ye who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you that ye may (learn) self-restraint.

184 (Fasting) for a fixed number of days; but if any of you is ill or on a journey the prescribed number (should be made up) from days later. For those who can do it (with hardship) is a ransom the feeding of one that is indigent. But he that will give more of his own free will it is better for him and it is better for you that ye fast if ye only knew.

185 Ramadan is the (month) in which was sent down the Qur'an as a guide to mankind also clear (Signs) for guidance and judgment (between right and wrong). So everyone of you who is present (at his home) during that month should spend it in fasting but if anyone is ill or on a journey the prescribed period (should be made up) by days later. Allah intends every facility for you He does not want to put you to difficulties. (He wants you) to complete the prescribed period and to glorify Him in that He has guided you; and perchance ye shall be grateful.

Beloved Sister in Islam, if you are pregnant and the doctor has advised you not to fast to protect your and your baby’s health, you have a valid excuse not to keep your fasts in this Ramadan; but it is absolutely imperative that you accurately count the fasts that you have missed and make these missed number of fasts after you have delivered your baby.

The ‘kaffarah’ or atonement of feeding one who is poor and indigent for every fast missed is only for those who are terminally ill and have absolutely no hope of recovering their health whereby they would not be able to make up their fasts later. For such people, Islam has allowed that they should feed one poor person for every fast they have missed as an atonement for their missed obligatory fasts. But if one is temporarily of ill health during the month of Ramadan, and hopes to recover from their health in the near future, it is obligatory upon them to make up the missed fasts of Ramadan by fasting the exact number of days at any other time of the year.

Your Question-2: One of my friend who is 6 months pregnant is also not able to fast because she is having diabetics. Is she also excluded from fasting?
If your friend is pregnant and fears that keeping the fasts in Ramadan might effect her health or the health of her baby in any way, there would be no sin upon her if she decides to miss the fasts this Ramadan and make up these fasts after she has delivered her baby.

Your Question-3: What about fasting for mother who are breast feeding?
The same law applies to the mothers who are breast-feeding their infant babies: if they fear that by keeping their fasts, it would effect their or their baby’s health in any way…there would be no sin upon them if they decide not to fast this Ramadan, and make up the missed fasts at any other time of the year.

Your Question-4: Can you please make clear in what all conditions fasting is not compulsory?
Fasting in the month of Ramadan is an obligatory duty upon every sane, healthy, resident, adult believing man and woman. If one is ill or fears deterioration in one’s health if one keeps the fasts, or one is on a journey one is permitted to miss the fasts of Ramadan, but they must atone for their missed fasts by keeping the exact number of missed fasts at any other time of the year.

If one is terminally ill and has absolutely no hope of recovering their health due to adverse old age, etc., the atonement for missing their fast is the feeding of one poor person for every fast missed.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan