Breaking fast in Ramadan because of pregnancy without making up for the days missed

15-9-2009 | IslamWeb

Question:

I was pregnant in Ramadhaan, and hence I did not fast. I fed a poor person for each day I missed. Am I required now to make up for the days I missed or is that expiation enough?

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Answer:

All perfect praise be to Allaah, the Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His Slave and Messenger.

 

According to the four Imaams of Fiqh, you are required to make up for the days of fasting that you missed of that month because pregnancy takes the ruling of a curable illness, which necessitates making up for the missed days of fasting. Allaah The Exalted Says (what means): {So whoever among you is ill or on a journey [during them] - then an equal number of days [are to be made up].}[Quran 2:184]

If you abandoned fasting fearing only for your baby, you would be required to make up for the days you missed and the baby’s guardian would be required to give the expiation of feeding a poor person for each day. This is the view of the majority of scholars.

It was established that Ibn ‘Abbaas and Ibn ‘Umar were of the view that the expiation would be enough for the pregnant woman who abandons fasting during Ramadan, but the opinion that we adopt here in Islamweb is that making up for the missed days of fasting is also required. This opinion is more preponderant and more likely to free one from liability.

This applies if you broke fasting fearing for yourself or your baby. However, if you broke fasting although you were able to observe it without fearing any harm, then this would be impermissible and you, by consensus, would be required to sincerely repent to Allaah and make up for the missed days of fasting of that month.

Allaah Knows best.