Written Fatwa

Who is exempt from fasting in Ramadan?

454
07.04.2022

It is said that whoever is Muslim has to fast during Ramadan. Aren’t there any exceptions?

Fasting is a worship.

Worshipping practices are obligatory for those who are:

Muslim,

Pubescent,

and mentally sane.

There is no fasting for one who doesn’t fit these conditions.

Other than these, we can list those who MAY NOT FAST during Ramadan as follows:

a. Pregnant or nursing women may postpone their fasts if they are affected negatively because of fasting. Postponing fast means fasting later for every day you didn’t fast.

b. If a patient gets worse or his/her recovery delays when he/she fasts, then they may see a doctor and may not fast according to doctor’s words. If someone has an incurable disease, they should pay zakat al-Fitr (as much as the authority states) and they don’t have to fast for these days. The patient with a curable disease will not pay zakat al-Fitr and will fast when he/she recovers.

c. Women CAN NOT fast during the menstruation or puerperal period. They must fast later for those days. They are free determining which days they will fast but it is better not to postpone it until the next Ramadan arrives.

d. Elders who can not bear fasting may not fast. They must pay zakat al-Fitr for every single day they didn’t fast. If the one has already lost his mind, then there is no worshipping for them.

e. Travelers (whose destination is longer than 90 km) are free not to fast. If they prefer to fast and there is no problem occurring because of this, they will be doing the more righteous thing.

f. Those who faint or put to sleep in hospitals are not fasting. They should fast afterwards when they recover.

g. Those who work in rescue teams during disasters may break their fasts. They should fast later.

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