Questions about fasting for pregnant and breastfeeding women

What should a pregnant or breastfeeding woman do regarding fasting?

Answer: If a pregnant or breastfeeding woman fears harm to herself or her child by fasting, she is permitted not to fast [1]. She must make up the missed fasts later. Since she breaks her fast due to a valid excuse, no expiation (kaffarah) is required, nor does she need to pay fidya. This is because breaking the fast out of concern for her unborn or nursing child is not the same as the case of an elderly person. Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) said:

رَخَّصَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ (صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ سَلَّمْ) لِلْحُبْلَى الَّتِى تَخَافُ عَلَى نَفْسِهَا أَنْ تُفْطِرَ وَلِلْمُرْضِعِ الَّتِى تَخَافُ عَلَى وَلَدِهَا.

“The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) permitted a pregnant woman who fears for herself and a nursing woman who fears for her child to break their fast.” [2]

If a breastfeeding woman is able to feed her child with something other than her own milk (such as infant formula), she should not break her fast. But if she cannot do so, or if the baby does not accept it, then she may break her fast if she fears harm to herself or her child [3].

Additionally, if a doctor prescribes essential vitamins for the health of the nursing baby, the mother is permitted not to fast. Al-Fatawa al-Tatarkhaniyya states: “A sheikh was asked: ‘If a nursing baby with diarrhea needs medicine and doctors say the mother’s intake of the medicine will treat the child through her milk, is it permissible for her to break her fast during the day in Ramadan if necessary?’ He replied: ‘If qualified doctors determine this, then she may break her fast.’” [4]

It is best to consult a qualified doctor to determine whether fasting may harm the mother or child, or whether an illness is dangerous or not. All Islamic scholars support this approach.

When making up missed fasts, it is permissible to do them consecutively or separately, as convenient.

Question: If a pregnant woman sees blood while fasting, does it break her fast?

Answer: For some women, bleeding during pregnancy is not considered menstruation (hayd) or postnatal bleeding (nifas). It is istihada (irregular bleeding) [5]. Nifas only occurs after childbirth, and menstruation does not occur during pregnancy. Therefore, bleeding during pregnancy is istihada and does not break the fast.

Question: If postnatal bleeding (nifas) stops before 40 days after childbirth, should the woman resume fasting?

Answer: Nifas is the bleeding that occurs after childbirth. Its maximum duration is 40 days, but there is no minimum [6]. If the bleeding stops before 40 days and the woman is healthy enough, she should perform ghusl and resume fasting. If the bleeding stops for a day or two and then resumes, those days are still counted as nifas, and any fasts kept during those days must be made up later [7].

The number of days of nifas after the first childbirth is used as a reference for subsequent births. If the duration differs with the second child, all bleeding up to 40 days is considered nifas. If bleeding continues beyond 40 days, the established duration from the first birth is used as the limit, and missed prayers and fasts during the extra days must be made up.

If a woman gives birth for the first time and her bleeding exceeds 40 days, from the 41st day onward it is considered istihada; she should perform ghusl, pray, and fast [8].

From the book “Fatwas Regarding Ramadan Fasting”

• [1] Al-Ikhtiyar, 1/419.

• [2] Ibn Majah, No. 1658.

• [3] Abdulhamid Mahmud Tuhmaz, “al-Fiqh al-Hanafi fi thawbihi al-jadid”, 1/439.

• [4] Al-Fatawa al-Tatarkhaniyya fi al-fiqh al-Hanafi, 2/115.

• [5] Al-Lubab fi Sharh al-Kitab, 1/48.

• [6] Al-Lubab fi Sharh al-Kitab, 1/48. Al-Tashil al-Daruri li Masa’il al-Quduri: 1/26.

• [7] Al-Binaya Sharh al-Hidaya: 1/691.

• [8] Al-Lubab fi Sharh al-Kitab, 1/48.