Fasting Ramadan in Islam
• Allah said in sooratul Baqarah, 183:
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الصِّيَامُ كَمَا كُتِبَ عَلَى الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ
Thus, fasting Ramadan is an obligation incumbent upon every Muslim and pubescent, male or female.
• Fasting days other than Ramadan is optional fasting and one is rewarded as he/she is rewarded for doing the optional deeds. However if one vows to fast, then one has to fulfill the vow.
Meaning of Fasting
• Fasting means abstinence in language.
• Islamically it is to abstain from eating, drinking and copulation starting from the time of the appearance of the second dawn (True Fajr) until sunset with has the intention to fast.
Traveler or Sick person
• If the person is traveling a Distance of Qasr (when one shortens the prayer which is about 48 miles) or one is sick and fears for oneself that by fasting the sickness would increase, then both are permitted not to fast that time in Ramadan. They have to make up the days they did not fast, though.
• However, fasting is better for the traveler as long he/she is not harmed by fasting.
• When the person stops traveling or the sick person becomes cured they have to make up the days they did not fast.
Pregnant and Nursing Woman
• When the pregnant or nursing woman fears for themselves or their child, they may break the fast and not fast in Ramadan.
• They are requested to make up the days they did not fast after Ramadan.
• If they broke fast because they feared for their child and not themselves they also have to pay expiation (see below) for each day they did not fast.
Menstruation and postpartum bleeding
• The woman having her menstruation period or postpartum bleeding is obligated not to fast Ramadan during this time because having menstruation or postpartum bleeding makes them not eligible to fast. It is unlawful for them to fast.
• The menstruating woman and the woman bleeding after delivery have to make up the days they did not fast in Ramadan.
Old person
• The old person who is unable to fast because of old age is permitted not to fast in Ramadan but has to pay expiation for each day one did not fast.
• The old person is the one who is unable to fast neither in Ramadan nor in the days after it and cannot make up the days to the end of one’s life.
Expiation
• The expiation is to feed for each day a Deprived Person (Miskeen) an amount equal to half a saa` of wheat or a saa` of dates or barely like the Sadaqah of the Day of alFitr.
• The saa` is about 1,250 grams (2.7 pounds) or 2,000 grams (4.4 pounds) of wheat, or 4,000 grams (8.8 pounds) of dates.
• One may also give two fulfilling meals (like two sandwiches of falafel, or iftar and suhoor) to the Miskeen or give the Miskeen the value of the two meals.
• The Miskeen is the deprived person who has nothing or has something less than 700 grams (24.69 ounce) of silver but it is not enough to support his basic needs.
Paying expiation for traveler or sick person
• The traveler or the sick person who does not fast after he/she was able to make up the days one did not fast in Ramadan and then dies his/her heirs will give for each day which he/she did not fast the expiation to the Miskeen.
• The person would also write a will asking his/her heirs to give the expiation after his/her death and ask Allah for forgiveness.
Child or New Muslim
• If the child becomes pubescent or the non-Muslim embraces Islam in Ramadan, they have to abstain the rest of the day and fast the coming days of Ramadan.
• They do not have to make up that day.
Fainted person
• The one who fainted in a day during Ramadan one does not have to make it up, but has to make up the days in which he faints afterwards.
Insane person
• The insane person who becomes sane part of Ramadan will make up the days one did not fast and fast the rest of Ramadan.
End of travel and menstruation
• If the traveler did not fast and comes back home or stops traveling or the woman with menstruation becomes pure on that day, both of them will abstain that day from the three prohibitive matters (mentioned above) out of dignifying the month of Ramadan.