Assalamu Alaikum, Peace be upon you all! The topic of fasting for pregnant and lactating mothers has become an interesting one for me. I have compiled some information that I hope Inshallah would be informative to mother-to-be and new mums about fasting in this holy month of Sha’baan. Once again I plead all my readers to immediately correct any mistakes therein, by leaving a comment.
Fasting : An Obligation
Fasting is one of the five pillars of Islam, an obligation binding upon all those who identify themselves as Muslims. Allah (swt) says in Quran (Al- Baqarah: 183):
“O believers, Fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become Al-Muttaqun (the pious)” In a famous hadith, Angel Jibril came to the Prophet in the shape of a man with white clothes and asked him to inform him about Islam. In response, the Prophet said:
“Islam is to bear witness that no one is God except Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, performing Prayer, paying Zakat, performing Pilgrimage if you are able, and Fasting the month of Ramadan”
Fasting: The Sick and the Traveller are exemptions
Allah says in the Qur’an (Al-Baqarah: 183):
“The month of Ramadan in which was revealed the Qur’an, a guidance for mankind and clear proofs for the guidance and the criterion (between right and wrong). So whoever of you sights (the crescent on the first night of) the month (of Ramadan, i.e., is present at his home), he must observe sawm (fasting) that month, and whoever is ill or on a journey, the same number [of days which one did not observe sawm (fasting) must be made up) from other days. Allah intends for you ease, and He does not want to make things difficult for you. (He wants that you) must complete the same number (of days), and that you must magnify Allah for having guided you so that you may be grateful to Him.”
With regard to the pregnant woman: it is permissible for her not to fast if she fears some harm which she thinks will most likely affect her and/or her baby, in which case she would qualify under the category of “whoever is ill”. Breaking the fast becomes obligatory if she fears that she may die or be severely harmed if she fasts. In that case she has to make up the fast later on but she does not have to pay the fidyah. This is according to the consensus of the fuqaha’, because Allaah says (interpretation of the meanings):
“And do not kill yourselves” [al-Nisa’ 4:29]
“and do not throw yourselves into destruction” [al-Baqarah 2:195] The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Allaah has relieved the traveller of the obligation of fasting and half of the prayer, and He has relieved the pregnant woman and nursing mother of the obligation of fasting.” Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 715; Ibn Maajah, 1667; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Tirmidhi, 575.
If the woman fears for her baby only (and not for herself), then some of the scholars are of the view that it is permissible for her to break her fast, but they say that she must make up the fast later on and pay the fidyah (which means feeding one poor person for each day not fasted), because of the report narrated from Ibn ‘Abbaas concerning the verse (interpretation of the meaning):
“And as for those who can fast with difficulty, (e.g. an old man), they have (a choice either to fast or) to feed a Miskeen (poor person) (for every day)” [al-Baqarah 2:184]
Ibn ‘Abbaas said: This is a concession allowed to old men and women, who can only fast with difficulty; they are allowed to break the fast and to feed one poor person for each day of fasting missed. This also applies to pregnant and nursing women, if they are afraid.” Abu Dawood said: “i.e., if they are afraid for their children, they may break the fast.” (Narrated by Abu Dawood, 1947; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in al-Irwa’, 4/18, 25). (See al-Mawsoo’ah al-Fiqhiyyah, 16/272)
Hence it is clear that if fasting will cause great harm to a woman or to her baby, she is obliged to break the fast, on condition that the doctor who states that fasting will cause harm is a doctor who can be trusted. But if she does not fear that she or her baby may be harmed by fasting, then she has to fast, because Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“So whoever of you sights (the crescent on the first night of) the month (of Ramadan i.e. is present at his home), he must observe Sawm (fasts) that month” [al-Baqarah 2:185]
Making up Missed Fasts
With regard to the fasts that she has missed: “Everyone who owes fasts from Ramadaan has to make them up before the next Ramadaan. He may delay that until Sha’baan. But if the next Ramadaan comes and he has not made them up and had no excuse for that, then he is guilty of sin and he has to make them up as well as feeding one poor person for each day, as was stated by a number of the Companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). The amount to be given is half a saa’ of the local staple food for each day, which may be given to a number of poor persons or to one. But if a person had an excuse for delaying making up the fasts, because he was sick or was travelling, then all he has to do is to make up the missed fasts, and he does not have to feed the poor, because of the general meaning of the verse (interpretation of the meaning):
‘but if any of you is ill or on a journey, the same number (should be made up) from other days’ [al-Baqarah 2:184].
And Allaah is the Source of strength.” (Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn Baaz, 15/340)
Medical Opinion on Fasting During Pregnancy
Shahid Athar , MD,FACP, FACE , is Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine ( Endocrinology ) at Indiana University School of Medicine gives his medical opinion as follows from website Islam-USA (refer to Reference for whole article):
“Pregnant Women (Normal Pregnancy): This is not an easy situation. Pregnancy is not a medical illness, therefore, the same exemption does not apply. There is no mention of such exemption in Quran. However, the Prophet said the pregnant and nursing women do not fast. This is in line with God not wanting anyone, even a small fetus, to suffer. There is no way of knowing, the damage to the unborn child until the delivery, and that might be too late. In my humble opinion, during the first and third trimester (three months) women should not fast. If however, Ramadan happens to come during the second trimester (4th-6th months) of pregnancy, women may elect to fast provided that (1) her own health is good, and (2) it is done with the permission of her obstetrician and under close supervision. The possible damage to the fetus may not be from malnutrition provided the Iftar and Sahoor are adequate, but from dehydration, from prolonged (10-14 hours) abstinence from water. Therefore it is recommended that Muslim patients if they do fast, do so under medical supervision.”
I also came across an article by non-Muslim Doctor/ Researcher (refer to Reference for full article) “RAMADAN FASTING AMONG PREGNANT MUSLIM WOMEN IN THE UNITED STATES.” Although I was not interested in their mental research which concluded that “The results of this study support the belief that Ramadan fasting is important to Muslim patients, including pregnant women” (My comment: Gee, I could have told you that!), they have an informative Table which advises prenatal care givers on how to approach Muslim women who are pregnant and fasting as follows:
References
Al-Magrib Forum: http://forums.almaghrib.org/showthread.php?t=17539
IslamQA: http://www.islamqa.com/index.php?ln=eng&ds=qa&lv=browse&QR=21589&dgn=4
Islam-USA: http://www.islam-usa.com/Fasting.htm
“RAMADAN FASTING AMONG PREGNANT MUSLIM WOMEN IN THE UNITED STATES.” From the Henry Ford Health Sciences Center, Detroit, Michigan. Trinka Robinson, MS, CNM; Jeanne Raisler, DrPH, CNM (Journal Ethnicity & Disease, Volume 15, Winter 2005): http://www.ishib.org/journal/ethn-15-01s-0099.pdf
