Table of Contents
Legitimate Excuses for Not Fasting
Fasting in Ramadan is a great obligation for every adult Muslim. At the same time, Allah is Merciful and does not burden His servants beyond their ability. He has allowed certain people, in specific situations, not to fast, or to delay some fasts, and in some cases to feed the poor instead.
Allah says about fasting in Ramadan:
“So whoever among you is ill or on a journey, then an equal number of days (are to be made up) later. Allah intends for you ease and does not intend for you hardship …”
(Qur’an 2:185)
And the Prophet ﷺ said:
“Indeed this religion is easy, and no one makes the religion hard for himself except that it will overcome him.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī)
This chapter explains who is excused from fasting, what they must do instead, and the limits of these excuses.
A Muslim may only leave a fast of Ramadan with a valid excuse recognized in the Qur’an and Sunnah. Doing so without excuse is a major sin.
Temporary Illness
A person who is sick, and fasting will worsen the illness, delay recovery, or cause real harm, is allowed not to fast. This applies to sudden sickness such as fever, flu, stomach illness, or an injury, and to a chronic illness during times when it becomes severely worse.
Allah explicitly gave this concession:
“…and whoever is ill or on a journey, then an equal number of other days (are to be made up). Allah intends for you ease and does not intend for you hardship…”
(Qur’an 2:185)
Illness is judged by clear signs such as pain, weakness, serious symptoms, or reliable medical advice. If fasting is expected to cause real harm, or greatly increase suffering, it is disliked or even forbidden to fast.
The one who does not fast because of a temporary illness must make up the missed days after Ramadan when they have recovered. There is no feeding of the poor for this case, only qadāʾ, which is making up the days one by one.
Rule:
If the illness is temporary, the person misses the fasts and must make them up later when able.
No permanent dropping of the fast is allowed for a temporary sickness.
Chronic Illness and Old Age
A person with a chronic illness, which doctors and experience show is not expected to improve, and for whom fasting permanently causes harm or unbearable hardship, is not required to fast. Examples include severe heart disease, advanced kidney failure, or other serious long-term conditions when fasting is medically dangerous.
Also included are very elderly people whose bodies have become too weak for fasting. Their weakness is not expected to improve with time.
About such people Allah says:
“…And upon those who can only fast with great difficulty, a ransom (is due) of feeding a poor person (for each day)…”
(Qur’an 2:184)
The common understanding among scholars for those unable to ever fast again is that they do not make up the fasts but instead feed a poor person for each day they miss. This is called fidya.
A very old person, or someone with a permanent illness, who does not fast, should give food to a poor person for every missed day. The amount is usually understood as around one normal meal for each day. If they are too poor to give fidya, then there is no sin on them, since Allah does not burden a soul beyond its capacity.
Rule:
For permanent inability to fast, due to chronic illness or extreme old age, the person does not fast and does not make up the days.
Instead, they should feed one poor person per missed day, if they are able.
Travel
Travel in the Qur’an is mentioned as a clear excuse not to fast. Allah says:
“…And whoever is ill or on a journey, then an equal number of other days (are to be made up)…”
(Qur’an 2:185)
The Prophet ﷺ used the concession of not fasting during travel and approved both options for his companions. It is reported:
“We went out with the Prophet ﷺ to Mecca while we were fasting. When we reached a place called al-Kadīd, he broke his fast and so did we.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim)
In another narration he ﷺ said:
“It is not righteousness to fast while traveling.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim)
This shows that fasting while traveling is allowed if there is no hardship, but if fasting leads to serious hardship, then it is better not to fast.
The permission is for a real journey, not just moving around inside one’s city. When a person begins their journey, they may break their fast and later must make up an equal number of days.
If travel is easy and fasting brings no harm, a person may still choose to fast in Ramadan, but they are also allowed to delay and fast later.
Rule:
The traveler may break the fast in Ramadan and must make up the missed days later.
If fasting while traveling becomes very difficult or harmful, then it is better not to fast.
Pregnancy and Breastfeeding
Pregnant and breastfeeding women share a special ruling because they are responsible for themselves and for the child. The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Indeed Allah has relieved the traveler of half the prayer and fasting, and He relieved the pregnant and breastfeeding woman of fasting.”
(Reported by Aḥmad, Abū Dāwūd, at-Tirmidhī, graded authentic by many scholars)
If a pregnant woman fears harm for herself, or her unborn child, or both, if she fasts, she may break the fast. The same applies to a breastfeeding woman who fears that fasting will harm her health or reduce her milk in a way that harms the baby.
Once the fear of harm is gone, she must make up the missed fasts. The basic rule is qadāʾ, to make up the days later.
Scholars differ about whether such a woman must also feed the poor for each day in addition to making up the fast, especially if she left fasting mainly out of fear for the child. For a beginner, it is enough to know that she certainly must make up the days, and if she wants to be extra careful, she may also feed the poor for each day after asking knowledgeable scholars.
Pregnancy and breastfeeding are not automatic excuses. If the woman is strong and there is no fear of harm, she should fast.
Rule:
A pregnant or breastfeeding woman who reasonably fears harm for herself or her child may break the fast, but she must make up each missed day later.
Menstruation and Postnatal Bleeding
Women who are menstruating, or in postnatal bleeding after childbirth, are not allowed to fast during those days. Their leaving the fast is not a choice but an obligation.
ʿĀ’ishah رضي الله عنها said:
“We used to menstruate at the time of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, and we were ordered to make up the fasts, but we were not ordered to make up the prayers.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim)
This hadith clarifies two important points. First, a menstruating woman does not fast. Second, she must later make up every missed day of fasting, but she does not make up the missed prayers.
If her period begins during the day of Ramadan, her fast for that day is broken and invalid, even if she had been fasting from the morning. She will make up that day later. If her period ends during the day, she must abstain from food and drink for the rest of the day out of respect for Ramadan but that day still does not count as a fast. She will need to make up that day after Ramadan.
Postnatal bleeding after childbirth has the same ruling. From the start of that bleeding until it ends, she does not fast. Once it stops and she is pure, she resumes fasting and later makes up all missed days.
Rule:
A woman in menstruation or postnatal bleeding must not fast.
She is obliged to make up every missed fast of Ramadan after becoming pure.
Severe Hardship and Life-Threatening Situations
If a person is facing a situation in which fasting would bring severe, genuine hardship, or threaten life, he or she may break the fast. This is part of Allah’s mercy. The principle is based on many verses such as:
“He has not placed upon you in the religion any hardship.”
(Qur’an 22:78)
And:
“Allah does not burden a soul beyond what it can bear.”
(Qur’an 2:286)
Examples include a person who is extremely exhausted and at risk of collapse, someone working in very dangerous conditions where fasting truly threatens health or safety, or a person in a disaster situation needing strength to escape or help others.
In such cases, the person may break the fast as much as needed to remove the danger, then later must make up the missed day.
However, ordinary discomfort, slight headache, normal fatigue, or hunger are not valid excuses. Ramadan will naturally bring some struggle. That struggle is part of the worship.
Rule:
Only genuine, serious hardship or real danger to health or life allows breaking the fast.
Mere discomfort or laziness does not excuse a person from fasting.
Coercion and Exceptional Circumstances
If a Muslim is forced to break his or her fast under threat of serious harm, such as violence or imprisonment, then the person may obey under that compulsion. Islam recognizes coercion as a valid excuse.
The general rule comes from the verse:
“…except for one who is forced while his heart is at rest with faith…”
(Qur’an 16:106)
If a person is forced to eat or drink in Ramadan under such threat, the sin is upon the one who forced, not upon the victim. The day must still be made up later, because the fast of that day was broken.
Other rare situations can also arise, such as a doctor needing to perform emergency surgery that requires breaking the fast, or a rescue worker needing strong physical strength at a critical moment. In such cases, the person may break the fast and then make up the day later.
Misusing Excuses and Weakness of the Soul
While Islam gives these allowances, a Muslim must beware of misusing them. Some people might exaggerate small discomfort, or claim illness when there is none, just to avoid fasting. The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Whoever breaks a fast in Ramadan without a concession or an illness, his fasting of the whole lifetime will not make up for it, even if he fasts it.”
(Reported by Abū Dāwūd, Ibn Mājah; some scholars discuss its chain, but its meaning is used as a warning)
Fasting is a pillar of Islam, and deliberately breaking the fast without excuse is a major sin. A believer should be honest with Allah and with himself, and remember that Allah knows his true state.
If someone has a valid excuse, he should accept Allah’s mercy without feeling guilty. To refuse the concession and harm oneself can also be blameworthy. On the other hand, using excuses to cover laziness is dangerous for faith.
Important Statement:
It is a major sin to break a fast of Ramadan without a valid excuse.
It is also wrong to reject Allah’s mercy by refusing a concession when fasting clearly causes harm.
Making Up Missed Fasts and Fidya
Every excuse carries with it a responsibility after Ramadan.
For the temporarily excused such as the ill, traveler, menstruating woman, and those with temporary hardships, the obligation is to make up each missed day before the next Ramadan if possible.
Allah says:
“…and whoever is ill or on a journey, then an equal number of other days (are to be made up)…”
(Qur’an 2:185)
For those who are permanently unable to fast, such as the very elderly or those with chronic illness that has no hope of improvement, the rule is to feed a poor person for every missed day, if they can afford it.
“…And upon those who can only fast with great difficulty, a ransom (is due) of feeding a poor person (for each day)…”
(Qur’an 2:184)
If a person delays making up missed fasts without a valid reason until the next Ramadan enters, then they must still make them up. Some scholars also require feeding a poor person for each delayed day as an additional penalty. A Muslim should therefore hasten to make up missing days as soon as able.
The Mercy and Wisdom Behind the Excuses
All of these rulings show that Ramadan is not a test of cruelty, but a path to piety that fits the limits of human beings. Allah has combined command and mercy, obligation and ease.
The goal is to achieve taqwā, as Allah says about fasting:
“O you who have believed, fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you that you may become righteous.”
(Qur’an 2:183)
The excuses allowed in the Sharia are not meant to weaken fasting, but to protect life, health, and dignity. They also remind the believer that Allah sees his state, knows his weakness, and still invites him to His worship according to his ability.
If a Muslim is genuinely unable to fast today, he should remain eager to fast as soon as he is able, and keep a heart attached to Ramadan and to obedience in every form.