All
scholars agree that fasting is obligatory
upon every sane, adult, healthy Muslim male
who is not traveling at that time. As for a
woman, she must not be menstruating or having
post-childbirth bleeding. People who are
insane, minors, and those who are traveling,
menstruating, or going through post-childbirth
bleeding, and the elderly and breast-feeding
or pregnant women do not need to observe the
fast.
For
some, the fast is not obligatory at all, for
example, the insane. In the case of young
people, their parents or guardians should
order them to fast. Some are to break the
fast and make up missed days of fasting at a
later date, while others are to break the
fast and pay a "ransom" [in which
case they are not obliged to make up the days
they missed].
The
fast of the insane:
Fasting
is not obligatory for the insane because of
their inability to understand what they are
doing. 'Ali reported that Rasulullah
sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said "The
pen is raised for three groups of people-
that is they will not be responsible for
their actions; the insane until they become
sane, those who are sleeping until they
awaken, and the young until they reach
puberty." [related by Ahmad, Abu Dawud,
and at-Tirmidhi]
The
fast of non-adults:
Though
the young are not required to fast, it is
proper for their guardians to encourage them
to fast so that they will become accustomed
to it at an early age. They may fast as long
as they are able to and they may break it. Ar-Rabi'a
bin Mu'awiyyah reported: "Rasulullah
sent a man on the morning of the day of 'Ashurah,
to the residences of the Ansar saying"
Whoever has spent the morning fasting is to
complete his fast. Whoever has not spent this
morning fasting should fast for the remainder
of the day.' We fasted after that
announcement, as did our young children. We
would go to the mosque and make toys stuffed
with cotton for them to play with. If one of
them started crying due to hunger, we would
give them a toy to play with until it was
time to eat." [Bukhari and Muslim]
THOSE
WHO ARE PERMITTED TO BREAK THE FAST, BUT WHO
MUST PAY A 'RANSOM' FOR NOT FASTING
Elderly
men and women are permitted to break their
fasts, as are the chronically ill. All of
these people are allowed to break their fast,
because such a practice would place too much
hardship on them during any part of the year.
They are obliged to feed one poor person a
day [for every day of fasting they missed].
The scholars differ over how much food is to
be supplied, for example, a sa', a half a sa'
or a madd. [sa' and madd are two types of
measurement. A sa' is equal to four madd, a
madd is equal to what a man with an average
hand can hold in his two hands.] There is
nothing in the sunnah that mentions exactly
how much is to be given.
Ibn
Abbas said "An elderly man is permitted
to break his fast, but he must feed a poor
person daily. If he does this, he does not
have to make up the days that he did not fast.
This is related by ad-Daraqutni and by al-Hakim,
who said it is sahih. Al Bukhari recorded
that 'Ata heard ibn Abbas recited the ayah
"And for those who can fast but do not,
there is a ransom; the feeding of a person in
need." [2:185] Then Ibn Abbas continued
"It has not been abrogated. [Its ruling
applies] to elderly men and women who are not
able to fast. Instead, they must feed one
poor person on a daily basis." The same
is true for one who is chronically ill and as
such cannot fast.
Pregnant
and breastfeeding women, if they fear for
themselves alone, or for themselves and the
baby, they can break the fast and make up the
missed day of fasting at a later date. They
do not need to pay ransom.
If
they fear for the baby alone, they can break
the fast and pay the 'ransom'. They do not
have to make up the days missed because the
ransom to the poor covers it. Abu Dawud
related from Ikrimah that Ibn Abbas said
concerning the ayah "'And for those who
can fast but do not, ' This is a concession
for the elderly, as they can fast. They are
to break the fast and feed one poor person a
day. Pregnant and breast feeding women, if
they fear for the child can do likewise."
This is related by al-Bazzar. At the end of
the report there is an addition "Ibn
Abbas used to say to his wives who were
pregnant 'You are in the same situation as
those who can fast but do not. You are to pay
the 'ransom' and do not have to make up the
days later.'" [ad-Daraqutni says it is
sahih] Nafi' reported that Ibn Umar was asked
about a pregnant woman who feared for her
unborn baby. He replied "She is to break
the fast and feed one poor person a day one
madd of barley." There are no known
companions who objected to this.