In addition to that, in the light of this Ayah and according to many scholars, following people are also exempt from fasting:Ĥ- Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding.ĥ- Elderly People (if fasting will cause their health to deteriorate further)ģ- Water accidentally goes down the throat whilst garglingĤ- Ejaculating because of contact with a womanħ- Continuing to eat or drink after eating or drinking unintentionally and assuming the fast has already been brokenĨ- Eating after Suhoor / Subh Sadiq / Sehri (starting time of Fast before Fajr Salah) with the impression of it being before Suhoor / Subh Sadiqĩ- Eating Iftar (meal to be consumed after breaking the fast at Maghrib Salah) at the wrong time i.e. In Surah Al-Baqarah (2:185), Allah Has clearly mentioned that sick people and travelers are exempted from fasting during Ramadan.

“Oh you who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you, that you may learn piety and righteousness.”Įven though fasting in Ramadan is obligatory upon every able Muslim, Allah has pardoned and excused certain people from fasting if they are unable to fast during Ramadan due to certain legitimate reasons. įasting was made obligatory during the month of Ramadan on all adult Muslims in the Second Year of Hijri (Migration from Makkah to Madinah of Muslims). The food eaten before Fajr time is known as ‘Suhoor’ and the food eaten after sunset (Maghrib Salah) is known as ‘Iftar’. Whoever denies this obligation of fasting during Ramadan does not remain a Muslim. It means to refrain from food, drink, sexual intercourse and all that which breaks the fast with the sole intention of obeying the commandments of Allah. The word ‘Sawm / Siyam’ (صوم/ صيام) means to abstain or refrain from something. It is known as ‘ayuno‘ in Spanish, ‘Jeûne’ in French, ‘Perhiz’ in Turkish, ’ صوم/ صيام ‘ in Arabic and ‘Puasa’ in Indonesian and Malay.

The word Fasting has different words in different languages around the world. Millions of Muslims across the world observe fast from dawn till dusk during the whole month of Ramadan as this is the most sacred month for the whole Muslim Ummah.

Calendar with islamic date