Question:
If a pregnant or breastfeeding woman fears for her own health or that of her child during Ramadan, what should she do? Should she:
Break her fast and both make up (Qada) the missed fasts and feed the needy?
Only make up (Qada) the missed fasts without feeding the needy?
Only feed the needy without making up the missed fasts?
Which of these options is correct?
Answer:
If a pregnant woman fears that fasting during Ramadan may cause harm to her own health or her unborn child, she should not fast. Instead, she is only required to make up (Qada) for the missed fasts later, just like a person who is sick or fears harm due to fasting.
Allah Almighty has stated in the Qur’an:
وَمَنْ كَانَ مَرِيضًا أَوْ عَلَى سَفَرٍ فَعِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَيَّامٍ أُخَرَ
[Surah Al-Baqarah 2:185]
"And whoever is ill or on a journey—then an equal number of other days (must be made up)."
Similarly, a breastfeeding woman who fears for her own health due to fasting, or worries that fasting without consuming sufficient food and drink might harm her child, may also break her fast. She is only required to make up (Qada) for the missed fasts later, and no additional feeding of the needy (Fidya) is required.
And Allah is the One who grants success.
— Permanent Committee for Islamic Research and Ifta (اللجنة الدائمة)
