Who is exempt from fasting?
The Short Answer
You are exempt from fasting if it would harm your health. Days missed through illness or travel are made up later. If you will never be able to fast, you feed a person in need for each day instead. Not sure whether this applies to you? Speak to your doctor and a scholar you trust before Ramadan.
How Islamic and Medical Evidence Fit Together
Islamic and Medical Guidance:Aligned
- Established
- Direct
- Agreed
- Consensus guidance
- Guidance from Diabetes UK, written with the British Islamic Medical Association (BIMA), is consistent with the Islamic exemptions from fasting.
- Diabetes UK also advises that it is best not to fast if you have symptoms of flu, Covid-19 or another illness.
The exemptions come directly from the Qur'an. The same verses that make the Ramadan fast obligatory also name who does not have to fast.
أَيَّامًا مَّعْدُودَٰتٍ ۚ فَمَن كَانَ مِنكُم مَّرِيضًا أَوْ عَلَىٰ سَفَرٍ فَعِدَّةٌ مِّنْ أَيَّامٍ أُخَرَ ۚ وَعَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ يُطِيقُونَهُۥ فِدْيَةٌ طَعَامُ مِسْكِينٍ ۖ فَمَن تَطَوَّعَ خَيْرًا فَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَّهُۥ ۚ وَأَن تَصُومُوا۟ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ ۖ إِن كُنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ
˹Fast a˺ prescribed number of days. But whoever of you is ill or on a journey, then ˹let them fast˺ an equal number of days ˹after Ramaḍân˺. For those who can only fast with extreme difficulty, compensation can be made by feeding a needy person ˹for every day not fasted˺. But whoever volunteers to give more, it is better for them. And to fast is better for you, if only you knew.
شَهْرُ رَمَضَانَ ٱلَّذِىٓ أُنزِلَ فِيهِ ٱلْقُرْءَانُ هُدًى لِّلنَّاسِ وَبَيِّنَـٰتٍ مِّنَ ٱلْهُدَىٰ وَٱلْفُرْقَانِ ۚ فَمَن شَهِدَ مِنكُمُ ٱلشَّهْرَ فَلْيَصُمْهُ ۖ وَمَن كَانَ مَرِيضًا أَوْ عَلَىٰ سَفَرٍ فَعِدَّةٌ مِّنْ أَيَّامٍ أُخَرَ ۗ يُرِيدُ ٱللَّهُ بِكُمُ ٱلْيُسْرَ وَلَا يُرِيدُ بِكُمُ ٱلْعُسْرَ وَلِتُكْمِلُوا۟ ٱلْعِدَّةَ وَلِتُكَبِّرُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ عَلَىٰ مَا هَدَىٰكُمْ وَلَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ
Ramaḍân is the month in which the Quran was revealed as a guide for humanity with clear proofs of guidance and the decisive authority. So whoever is present this month, let them fast. But whoever is ill or on a journey, then ˹let them fast˺ an equal number of days ˹after Ramaḍân˺. Allah intends ease for you, not hardship, so that you may complete the prescribed period and proclaim the greatness of Allah for guiding you, and perhaps you will be grateful.
Who does not have to fast
- People who are ill, where fasting would cause harm, make the illness worse or delay recovery
- Travellers
- People who will never be able to fast, such as very elderly people or those with a long-term illness that is not expected to improve
- Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding, if they fear harm to themselves or their baby
- Women during their period or bleeding after childbirth
- Children who have not reached puberty
- People who lack mental capacity
Further Islamic evidence
Allah has remitted half the prayer to a traveller, and fasting to the traveller, the woman who is suckling an infant and the woman who is pregnant.
We passed through this (period of menstruation), and we were ordered to complete the fasts, but were not ordered to complete the prayers.
The pen has been lifted from three: From the sleeper until he wakes up, from the minor until he grows up, and from the insane until he comes back to his senses or recovers.
Scholars also draw on the wider principle that you should not bring harm on yourself, citing verses such as 2:195 and 4:29.
What counts as illness
- A mild illness that fasting does not affect is not a reason to break the fast.
- Short-term and long-term illness are treated differently. Flu for three days means making up three days.
- If fasting starts to affect your health or slow your recovery, you may break the fast.
Making up missed fasts
- Qada: if you miss fasts for a temporary reason, such as illness, travel or your period, you make up each day later.
- Fidya: if you will never be able to fast, for example because of a long-term illness or old age, you feed a person in need for each day missed.
- Fidya does not replace qada for a temporary illness.
- Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding make up the days they miss later.
Where scholars differ
- Whether fidya is also owed when missed fasts are left past the next Ramadan without a good reason. Most scholars say it is.
- Some details for pregnancy and breastfeeding. If this applies to you, ask a scholar you trust.
What you can do
Speak to your GP or pharmacist well before Ramadan, especially if:
- You have a long-term condition such as diabetes, kidney disease or heart disease
- You take regular medicines
- You are pregnant or breastfeeding
- You felt unwell while fasting in a previous Ramadan
- You are not sure whether it is safe for you to fast
- Ask them whether fasting is likely to harm you.
- Speak to an imam or a scholar you trust about how the exemptions and making up fasts apply to you.
- If you cannot fast, keep a note of the days you miss, so you can make them up or give fidya later.
- Do not stop, start or change any medicine so that you can fast. Speak to your prescriber first.