What are the valid reasons for not fasting? What excuses permit someone to skip fasting? Under what circumstances is one allowed not to fast? What are the acceptable reasons for breaking the fast?

Islam holds a person responsible according to one’s ability and strength and has faciliative provisions in cases where something excesses one’s ability and strength or creates trouble for them. According to this principle, permission is given about delaying the fardh Ramadan fasting in certain conditions. It is stated in the Qur’an as follows:

“O you who have believed, decreed upon you is fasting as it was decreed upon those before you that you may become righteous. [Fasting for] a limited number of days. So whoever among you is ill or on a journey [during them] – then an equal number of other days [are to be made up]. And upon those who are able [to fast, but with hardship] – a ransom [as substitute] of feeding a poor person [each day]. And whoever volunteers good [i.e., excess] – it is better for him. But to fast is best for you, if you only knew.” (Baqarah, 2/183-184)

Islamic scholars listed the excuses which make it permissible (mubah) to not fast in Ramadan based on the verse above and relevant hadiths as follows:

Travel

A person who will travel to a place at least 90 km away in Ramadan may not make intention for fasting that day. But if one starts to travel during the day after making intention and starting fasting, s/he should not nullify the fast if there is no other valid excuse. A continuing worship must be completed if there is no valid excuse. However, because traveling is an excuse, if the person breaks the fast after starting to travel, qada is required for the day but kaffarah is not required (Ibn Abidin, Radd al-Muhtar, III, 402-405).Sickness: Those whose sickness is expected to get more severe or the time for healing would get longer if they observe fasting, and those who are not able to fast due to a sickness are allowed to not fast in Ramadan with the condition of performing qada later after recovery. A person who is informed by a doctor that if s/he observes fasting, s/he would be sick is also considered as sick in this context.

Elderliness

Those who are too old to be able to fast are allowed not to fast, but they need to pay fidyah. In the 184th verse of Surah al-Baqarah, it is stated that such people are allowed not to fast, but they have to give fidyah. This ruling also applies to the patients with no hope of recovery.

Starvation and excessive thirst

Those whose physical and mental health may be harmed severely due to starvation and excessive thirst may break the fast. If health condition of such persons recovers, then qada is required after Ramadan.

If continuing to fast may result in death, then it is haram to not break the fast and continue to observe it.

To work in difficult and though jobs

Indeed, it is not right for people to work and to be employed in jobs which are too difficult and though that it prevents them from performing worships normally. However, private and social requirements may cause people to work in such jobs. A person who works in such a job may not observe fasting if there is possibility for fasting to harm one’s health. Such people need to perform qada on their off days or any available time.

Pregnancy and breastfeeding

If there is a possibility to harm themselves and their babies when they observe fasting, pregnant and breastfeeding women are considered as people who are not healthy enough to fast. Women in this situation are allowed not to fast. Furthermore, if the possibility to get harmed is high, it is a must for such women not to fast. After returning to normal conditions, they should perform qada for unobserved fasts (Sahnun, al-Mudawwana, I, 278-279; Shirazi, al-Muhadhdhab, I, 328; Ibn Qudamah, al-Kafi, I, 433-434; Kasani, Bada’i, II, 97).

Muslim jurists preferred to limit the valid excuses for not fasting with the ones cited in the Qur’an and Sunnah. Even though common ground of such excuses is “difficulty”, Muslim jurists were cautious in saying that one may not fast in every difficult situation (Ibn Qudamah, al-Kafi, I, 433-436).

One is required to perform qada after the excuse is eliminated. If there is a permanent excuse preventing to fast, such as being incurably ill or being too old, a fidyah is paid for each unobserved fast. The fidyah for one day is equal to the amount of one sadaqah al-fitr. One sadaqah al-fitr is the foodstuff amount enough to feed one poor moderately for one day or money of the equal value.

Source: Presidency Of Religious Affairs The Turkey, High Board of Religious Affairs FATWAS

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