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Those Exempt From Fasting

So whoever of you sights the month, he must observe fast that month…(Qur’an 2:185 )

Aa’eyshah narrated that the Prophet said,' The pen has been lifted from three: The sleeper until he awakens; the young child until he reaches puberty; and the mentally ill until he comprehends.' (sunan of tirmidhi; sunan of ibn maajah)

The general principle in shareeah remains that obligatory acts of worship apply to every sane, mature Muslim man and woman. So in general, all post-pubertal, sane Muslim men and women have to perform the obligatory fasting during Ramadaan.

Allah desires ease for you; He desires not hardship for you (Qur’an 2:185)

The above verse defines another principle in that Allah does not want hardship for His slaves, rather He wants ease, and He Himself has given concessions in specific circumstances so that the one who may be burdened will not be burdened. This is all as a favor and mercy from Him.

The Messenger said, 'Verily Allah loves that His concessions be accepted just as He hates to be disobeyed.' (musnaad of ahmad)

In addition to easing hardship through concessions Allah loves His concessions so they should be accepted without feeling guilt or feeling that one is lessening in acts of worship. The act of using the concession is in itself an act of worship and obedience to He Who legislated it.

The following are those exempt from Fasting during Ramadaan:

(1) The Insane

Aa’eyshah narrated that the Prophet said: The pen has been lifted from three: The sleeper until he awakens; the young child until he reaches puberty; and the mentally ill until he comprehends (sunan of tirmidhi; sunan of ibn maajah)

The mentally ill who is not able to comprehend is excused from all obligatory acts of worship with fasting being no exception. If the mental illness has caused chronic loss of comprehension then the pen has been lifted from him. However there are cases where the condition may be temporary or reversible such as the various causes of delirium. In such cases the scholars have mentioned that the obligations are lifted during the state when the person exhibits loss of comprehension and become reinstated with the returning ability to comprehend. And if you examine their fataawa, you will see they have used evidences from ahaadeeth, including the above hadeeth of Aa’eyshah, with the Prophet specifying that the pen had been lifted from the mentally ill ‘until he comprehends.’

(2) Prepuberty Children

Pre-pubertal children are not held accountable for neglecting the obligatory acts of worship in Islam, for the pen has been lifted from them. Instead, the parents should instill Tawheed into the hearts and minds of their young so that they begin to know Allah and desire to worship Him. However this general principle is restricted to all acts of worship except for Salaat, for the Prophet has instructed us to teach the child Salaat at the age of seven. But as for fasting, then there is no evidence to suggest that fasting for the pre-pubertal child is obligatory. Rather the general principle remains that the pen has been lifted from the children who have not yet reached puberty.

Umar said to a drunk in Ramadaan: Woe to you! (even) our children are fasting. And then he punished him. (saheeh of bukhaari)

Narrated ar Rubaye’ bint Mu’awwith said, 'We used to make toys of wool for the boys and if anyone of them cried for food he was given the toy until the time of Iftaar (saheeh of bukhaari; saheeh of muslim)

However it is permissible for the child who has not reached puberty to fast as children amongst the young children of the companions participated in the fast. So although it is not obligatory upon them, the scholars have stated that children should be encouraged to fast after the age of seven.

(3) The Elderly who finds it difficult to fast

And for those who fast with difficulty, they have to feed a miskeen. (Qur’an 2:184 )

Imaam Ibn Katheer has mentioned that this verse was revealed in the early stage of fasting, where the one who found it difficult to fast had a choice whether to fast or feed a poor person for each day missed. He mentions that Mu’aadh said, ‘In the beginning, those who wished fasted, and those who wished did not fast and fed a poor person each day.’

So whoever of you sights the month, he must observe fast that month and whoever of you is sick or on a journey, (let him fast) the same number of days. (Qur’an 2:185)

Narrated Salamah, "When the revelation, ‘And for those who fast with difficulty, they have to feed a miskeen (2:184)’ was revealed, it was permissible to leave fasting and give a ransom until the verse after it (2:185) was revealed which abrogated it." (saheeh of bukhaari; saheeh of muslim)

Ibn Katheer explains that the verse 2:184 was abrogated by verse 2:185, and thereafter the people had to observe fast irrespective of whether they found it difficult. In support of this, he mentioned that Ibn Umar stated that the verse 2:184 was abrogated. He also mentioned the above hadeeth.

Narrated Abdullah ibn Abbas: (in reference to verse 2:184) This was a concession granted to the aged man and woman who were not able to keep fast; they were allowed to leave the fast and instead feed a poor person for each fast; (sunan of abu dawood)

Ibn Abbaas mentioned that the verse 2:184 was a concession given to the elderly who found it difficult to fast, so they were allowed to feed a poor for each day missed. Similarly if an aged person began the fast and it became heavy on him, he can break the fast and feed a poor person.

The scholars have made reconciliation between the above texts by explaining that verse 2:184 was abrogated by verse 2:185 but the elderly were still permitted to feed the poor instead of fasting, if they found fasting difficult. And with the frailty and weakness which comes with old age, it is unlikely that the aged person who is already finding it difficult to fast would be in a better position to make up for the missed fasts, so Allah eased their burden and allowed them to feed the poor instead. There is ample evidence to support this reconciliation between the two texts, including the action of Anas who used to feed the poor instead of fasting during Ramadaan when he became old. Imam Bukhaari mentioned this in his saheeh.

(4) The Sick

(Observe fasting) for a fixed number of days, but if any of you is ill or on a journey, the same number from other days (Qur’an 2:184)

So whoever of you sights the month, he must observe fast that month and whoever of you is sick or on a journey, (let him fast) the same number of days. Allah desires ease for you; He desires not hardship for you (Qur’an 2:185 )

The sick are exempted from fasting during Ramadaan until they are cured from their illness but they need to make up for the missed days later on.

However the scholars have stated that those with prolonged illnesses which are not likely to improve, where fasting will be difficult or harmful, then they can feed a poor person for each fast missed. They derived this ruling by likening their condition to the elderly one, using the same evidences and the same rationale. So if someone has a prolonged illness which is not likely to improve and would make fasting difficult then he is not likely to make up for the fasts as the difficulty will remain so long as the condition remains, so instead he feeds the poor.

(5) The Traveler

(Observe fasting) for a fixed number of days, but if any of you is ill or on a journey, the same number from other days (Qur’an 2:184)

Narrated Aa’eyshah: Hamza bin Amr Al Aslamee asked the Prophet, ‘Should I observe fast while traveling?’ The Prophet replied, ‘Fast if you wish, or do not fast if you wish.’ (saheeh of bukhaari; saheeh of muslim)

Anas bin Maalik said: We were traveling with the messenger of Allah and neither those who fasted criticized those who did not fast, nor did those who did not fast criticize those who fasted. (saheeh of bukhaari; saheeh of muslim)

Allah has exempted the traveler from fasting during Ramadaan but the missed days have to be made up later on. The Prophet gave his companions the option of either fasting or not fasting while engaged in travel during the month of Ramadaan, and neither group would criticize another.

Narrated Abu Dardaa: We set out for a journey on a very hot day, and it was so hot that one had to put his hand over his head because of the severity of heat. None of us were fasting except the Prophet and Ibn Rawaahah (saheeh of bukhaari; saheeh of muslim)

And at times the Prophet would fast while traveling even if it was scorching hot. However the above hadeeth shows that all the companions with the exception of one, who were traveling with the Prophet on this occasion, were not fasting with him.

Narrated Ibn Abbas: Allah's Messenger set out towards Hunayn in the month of Ramadan and some of the people were fasting while some others were not fasting, and when the Prophet mounted his she-camel, he asked for a tumbler of milk or water and put it on the palm of his hand or on his she-camel and then the people looked at him; and those who were not fasting told those who were fasting to break their fast (i.e. as the Prophet had done so). (saheeh of bukhaari)

And on occasions the Prophet would break his fast before sunset while traveling. So if one began the journey in a state of fasting and the fast became heavy on the person, then the person is permitted to break the fast.

Narrated Jaabir bin Abdullah: The Messenger of Allah was on a journey and saw a crowd of people, and a man was being shaded. He asked, ‘What is the matter?’ They said, ‘He is fasting.’ The Prophet said, ‘It is not righteousness that you fast while on a journey (saheeh of bukhaari; saheeh of muslim)

And it is not righteousness to fast while traveling if the fast is burdensome as the above hadeeth shows. Being shaded by a group of people to protect oneself from the heat by a fasting person is not Birr, rather it is a form of extremism, for if the fast during travel is difficult then the righteous one should break his fast.

Narrated Anas: We were with the Prophet and the only shade available was the shade of one’s garment. Those who observed fast did not do any work and those who did not fast served the camels and brought the water on them and treated the sick. So the Prophet said, ‘Today those who were not fasting took the reward.’ (saheeh of bukhaari; saheeh of muslim)

Also, if fasting during travel will disable someone from performing other necessary duties required for the travel then refraining from the fast is better, as the above hadeeth shows.

(6) The Pregnant and breast feeding women who apprehend harm

And as for those who fast with difficulty, they have to feed a miskeen. (Qur’an 2:184)

Narrated Abdullah ibn Abbas: Explaining the verse; he said, 'This was a concession granted to the aged man and woman who were not able to keep fast; they were allowed to leave the fast and instead feed a poor person for each fast; (and a concession) to pregnant and suckling woman when they apprehended harm.' (sunan of abu dawood)

Anas bin Maalik said: The horses of the Messenger of Allah came towards us, so I came up to the messenger of Allah and I found him eating. He said: come closer and eat. I said: I am fasting. He said: Come closer and let me tell you about fasting. Indeed Allah has reduced the prayer for the traveler to the half and has removed the burden of fasting from the pregnant and breastfeeding woman (sunan of tirmidhi; sunan of nasaa’ee)

The pregnant or breastfeeding one is not required to fast. So she may refrain from fasting during Ramadaan. And if she began the fast and later found it difficult or harmful for herself or her child then she should break the fast. In addition she does not have to make up for the fasts and can feed a poor person for each day missed.

Written by Kamillah Khan