❖ Ruling on Fasting for a Sick Person in Light of Qur’an, Hadith, and Teachings of the Salaf ❖
Written by: Qārī Usāmah bin ʿAbd al-Salām ḥafiẓahullāh
Islam is a religion of ease and natural disposition (dīn al-fiṭrah), and while fasting in Ramadan is obligatory, concessions are granted to those who are sick. If fasting is likely to harm one’s health, the person is allowed to skip the fast and either make it up later (qaḍāʾ) or offer fidya (compensation) — depending on the nature of the illness.
Allah ﷻ says:
﴿فَمَن كَانَ مِنكُم مَّرِيضًا أَوْ عَلَىٰ سَفَرٍ فَعِدَّةٌ مِّنْ أَيَّامٍ أُخَرَ﴾
﴿وَعَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ يُطِيقُونَهُ فِدْيَةٌ طَعَامُ مِسْكِينٍ﴾
(Sūrat al-Baqarah: 184)
﴿يُرِيدُ ٱللَّهُ بِكُمُ ٱلْيُسْرَ وَلَا يُرِيدُ بِكُمُ ٱلْعُسْرَ﴾
(Sūrat al-Baqarah: 185)
Translation:
“So whoever among you is sick or on a journey—then (he should fast) a number of other days… And those who can only fast with difficulty, must offer a ransom: feeding a poor person.”
“Allah intends ease for you and does not intend hardship.”
These verses affirm that a sick person may skip fasting during illness, but must make it up later.
In the case of chronic illness with no hope of recovery, fidya (feeding one poor person per missed fast) is sufficient.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
"إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ أَنْ تُؤْتَىٰ رُخَصُهُ كَمَا يُحِبُّ أَنْ تُؤْتَىٰ عَزَائِمُهُ"
(Musnad Aḥmad: 5866, Ṣaḥīḥ Ibn Ḥibbān: 2742)
Translation:
“Indeed, Allah loves that His concessions be accepted just as He loves that His commands be upheld.”
Thus, accepting a concession during illness is part of following the religion and does not diminish the reward.
The Prophet ﷺ once passed by a man enduring the intense heat while fasting. He asked:
"مَا بَالُ هَذَا؟"
The Companions replied:
“He is fasting.”
The Prophet ﷺ said:
"إِنَّ لِنَفْسِكَ عَلَيْكَ حَقًّا، فَأَفْطِرْ"
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 2830, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 1115)
Translation:
“Your soul has a right over you, so break your fast.”
If fasting leads to harm or deterioration of health, then fasting is discouraged or impermissible in that situation.
"إِذَا كَانَ الْمَرِيضُ لَا يُطِيقُ الصِّيَامَ، أَفْطَرَ وَقَضَىٰ، فَإِنْ كَانَ لَا يَسْتَطِيعُ أَبَدًا، فَأَطْعَمَ عَنْ كُلِّ يَوْمٍ مِسْكِينًا"
(Tafsīr Ibn Kathīr, Sūrat al-Baqarah: 184)
Translation:
“If the sick person cannot fast, he may break the fast and make it up later. If he is unable to ever fast again, he must feed one poor person for every missed day.”
"إِنْ كَانَ يَشُقُّ عَلَيْهِ الصِّيَامُ، فَلْيُفْطِرْ، وَإِنْ كَانَ لَا يَسْتَطِيعُ الْقَضَاءَ فَلْيُطْعِمْ"
(Muṣannaf ʿAbd al-Razzāq: 7554)
Translation:
“If fasting is too difficult for him, he may break the fast. If he is unable to make up the fast, he should give fidya.”
If the illness is short-term (e.g., fever, flu, severe headache), and fasting worsens the condition, it is permissible to skip the fast. However, making it up later (qaḍāʾ) is obligatory.
If one has a long-term illness with no hope of recovery (e.g., cancer, kidney disease, advanced diabetes), and fasting causes significant harm, then fidya is sufficient — one meal per missed fast for a poor person.
Those who are very old or weak, and for whom fasting is no longer possible, may also give fidya instead of fasting.
Every Muslim should assess their health realistically and act upon the ease provided by the Sharīʿah, without falling into neglect or extremism.
Written by: Qārī Usāmah bin ʿAbd al-Salām ḥafiẓahullāh
✦ Fasting Rules for the Sick in Islam
Islam is a religion of ease and natural disposition (dīn al-fiṭrah), and while fasting in Ramadan is obligatory, concessions are granted to those who are sick. If fasting is likely to harm one’s health, the person is allowed to skip the fast and either make it up later (qaḍāʾ) or offer fidya (compensation) — depending on the nature of the illness.
✿ Evidence from the Qur’an
Allah ﷻ says:
﴿فَمَن كَانَ مِنكُم مَّرِيضًا أَوْ عَلَىٰ سَفَرٍ فَعِدَّةٌ مِّنْ أَيَّامٍ أُخَرَ﴾
﴿وَعَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ يُطِيقُونَهُ فِدْيَةٌ طَعَامُ مِسْكِينٍ﴾
(Sūrat al-Baqarah: 184)
﴿يُرِيدُ ٱللَّهُ بِكُمُ ٱلْيُسْرَ وَلَا يُرِيدُ بِكُمُ ٱلْعُسْرَ﴾
(Sūrat al-Baqarah: 185)
Translation:
“So whoever among you is sick or on a journey—then (he should fast) a number of other days… And those who can only fast with difficulty, must offer a ransom: feeding a poor person.”
“Allah intends ease for you and does not intend hardship.”
These verses affirm that a sick person may skip fasting during illness, but must make it up later. In the case of chronic illness with no hope of recovery, fidya (feeding one poor person per missed fast) is sufficient.✿ Evidence from the Hadith
① The Prophet ﷺ Encouraged Accepting Concessions
The Prophet ﷺ said:
"إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ أَنْ تُؤْتَىٰ رُخَصُهُ كَمَا يُحِبُّ أَنْ تُؤْتَىٰ عَزَائِمُهُ"
(Musnad Aḥmad: 5866, Ṣaḥīḥ Ibn Ḥibbān: 2742)
Translation:
“Indeed, Allah loves that His concessions be accepted just as He loves that His commands be upheld.”
Thus, accepting a concession during illness is part of following the religion and does not diminish the reward.② Fasting While Ill and Harmed by It Is Discouraged
The Prophet ﷺ once passed by a man enduring the intense heat while fasting. He asked:
"مَا بَالُ هَذَا؟"
The Companions replied:
“He is fasting.”
The Prophet ﷺ said:
"إِنَّ لِنَفْسِكَ عَلَيْكَ حَقًّا، فَأَفْطِرْ"
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 2830, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 1115)
Translation:
“Your soul has a right over you, so break your fast.”
If fasting leads to harm or deterioration of health, then fasting is discouraged or impermissible in that situation.✿ Statements of the Companions and the Pious Predecessors
① Fatwā of ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿAbbās رضي الله عنه
"إِذَا كَانَ الْمَرِيضُ لَا يُطِيقُ الصِّيَامَ، أَفْطَرَ وَقَضَىٰ، فَإِنْ كَانَ لَا يَسْتَطِيعُ أَبَدًا، فَأَطْعَمَ عَنْ كُلِّ يَوْمٍ مِسْكِينًا"
(Tafsīr Ibn Kathīr, Sūrat al-Baqarah: 184)
Translation:
“If the sick person cannot fast, he may break the fast and make it up later. If he is unable to ever fast again, he must feed one poor person for every missed day.”
② Statement of Imām al-Ḥasan al-Baṣrī رحمه الله
"إِنْ كَانَ يَشُقُّ عَلَيْهِ الصِّيَامُ، فَلْيُفْطِرْ، وَإِنْ كَانَ لَا يَسْتَطِيعُ الْقَضَاءَ فَلْيُطْعِمْ"
(Muṣannaf ʿAbd al-Razzāq: 7554)
Translation:
“If fasting is too difficult for him, he may break the fast. If he is unable to make up the fast, he should give fidya.”
✦ Types of Illness and Their Rulings on Fasting
◉ Temporary Illness
If the illness is short-term (e.g., fever, flu, severe headache), and fasting worsens the condition, it is permissible to skip the fast. However, making it up later (qaḍāʾ) is obligatory.
◉ Chronic Illness
If one has a long-term illness with no hope of recovery (e.g., cancer, kidney disease, advanced diabetes), and fasting causes significant harm, then fidya is sufficient — one meal per missed fast for a poor person.
◉ Extreme Weakness or Old Age
Those who are very old or weak, and for whom fasting is no longer possible, may also give fidya instead of fasting.
Summary and Conclusion
- In temporary illness, it is wājib to make up missed fasts later.
- In chronic illness with no hope of recovery, fidya (feeding one poor person per day) is sufficient.
- These rulings are supported by the Qur’an, Hadith, and the understanding of the Companions and major scholars.
- Islam is a religion of mercy and ease, and does not burden the sick beyond their capacity.
Every Muslim should assess their health realistically and act upon the ease provided by the Sharīʿah, without falling into neglect or extremism.
