Do Pregnant Women Fast During Ramadan?

Do pregnant women fast during Ramadan? Many Muslims ask this every year, especially families expecting a baby for the first time. The short answer is: a pregnant woman may fast if it is safe for her and her baby, but she is allowed not to fast if there is likely harm, weakness, or serious difficulty. This balance reflects the mercy built into Ramadan itself.

Recommended Ramadan reading on Amazon: A Guide to Ramadan and Fasting

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, and it is a month of fasting, worship, reflection, and discipline for Muslims around the world. Basic overviews from Wikipedia’s Ramadan page and Britannica’s Ramadan entry help explain the background for new readers.

Why this question matters

Pregnancy is not the same for every woman. Some feel strong and can fast comfortably. Others face nausea, dizziness, dehydration, low energy, or medical risks. That is why Islamic law does not give one rigid answer for everyone. It gives a principle: protect health, avoid harm, and worship Allah with wisdom.

A practical Hanafi summary often given by scholars is this: if fasting may harm the mother or baby, she can leave the fast and make it up later. In many Hanafi fatwas, fidyah is not required for temporary pregnancy-related missed fasts; qada (make-up fasts) is the main duty.

The simple fiqh rule

1) If she is healthy and fasting is manageable

She should fast, just like other adults. Pregnancy alone does not automatically cancel fasting. The ruling depends on real condition, not only the word “pregnant.”

2) If she fears harm or strong hardship

She may break the fast or not begin it. This applies if there is likely harm to her health, severe weakness, or risk to the baby. In serious cases, not fasting can become necessary.

3) What happens later

In Hanafi fiqh, she makes up the missed fasts when she is able, even if that is after delivery or after breastfeeding becomes easier. Scholars also note she should take reasonable steps to complete them when possible.

Benefits of knowing the rule clearly

When people understand this issue properly, they avoid two common mistakes: forcing fasting when it is unsafe, or feeling guilty when Islam already gives a valid concession.

Key benefits

Peace of mind: She stops feeling confused or judged.
Safer decisions: Health concerns are taken seriously.
Better worship: She can focus on prayer, dhikr, and dua without fear.
Family support: Husbands and elders can help with the right understanding.
Planned qada: Missed fasts are handled calmly after Ramadan.

Qur’an guidance on fasting and ease

Islam’s guidance here is not random. The Qur’an clearly connects fasting with mercy, ease, and realistic responsibility.

Qur’an Reference 1

Surah Al-Baqarah (2:184)
Transliteration (key part): Wa ‘alalladhina yutiqunahu fidyatun ta‘amu miskin
Short meaning: Fasting is prescribed, and where there is severe difficulty, compensation and flexibility are recognized in the law.

Qur’an Reference 2

Surah Al-Baqarah (2:185)
Transliteration (key part): Yuridu Allahu bikumu al-yusra wa la yuridu bikumu al-‘usr
Short meaning: Allah intends ease for you, not hardship, while teaching the rules of Ramadan fasting.

Hadith references for practical understanding

These hadith help us understand the spirit of fasting: sincerity, discipline, and balance, not harm or extreme strain.

Hadith Reference 1

Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 1946
Short meaning: The Prophet ﷺ said it is not righteousness to fast on a journey when fasting causes hardship. This shows hardship changes the ruling.

Hadith Reference 2

Sahih Muslim, Hadith 1096a
Short meaning: The Prophet ﷺ encouraged suhoor (pre-dawn meal), showing that fasting includes practical care, preparation, and strength.

A practical decision checklist for pregnant women

This is the easiest way to apply the rule in real life.

Check your current health (energy, dizziness, vomiting, hydration).
Ask a trustworthy doctor if there is any pregnancy risk.
Speak to a reliable scholar for your situation.
Try one day carefully only if you are medically safe.
Stop if warning signs appear and make up later.

Also Read: Juz Amma 30 For School Students PDF Download

Do Pregnant Women Fast During Ramadan? Beliefs, Holy Month, Pillar of Islam, Prayer, Ramadan

Quick table for easy understanding

Situation	Ruling (General/Hanafi-friendly summary)	What to do next
Healthy, stable, no harm expected	Fast	Keep suhoor, hydration at night, and rest
Weakness or likely harm to mother	May leave fast	Make up later (qada)
Concern about baby’s health	May leave fast	Make up later (qada)
Severe risk or medical warning	Should not fast	Protect health, resume later when able
Missed many fasts due to pregnancy/breastfeeding	Still manageable	Plan qada gradually

About the last ten days and the 3rd Ashra dua

Many people also ask about dua for 3rd ashra of ramadan and the 3rd ashra dua in english. A very common phrase people recite is:

Arabic: اللهم أجرني من النار
Transliteration: Allahumma ajirni minan naar
English: “O Allah, save me from the Fire.”

This wording is widely shared in Muslim communities. Some scholars also clarify that assigning fixed duas to each ashra is not established as a specific Sunnah practice, so it is best to make sincere dua freely, especially in the last ten nights.

Along with that, increase istighfar, send salawat, and make the well-known Laylat al-Qadr dua. The last ten nights are ideal for focused worship, whether a woman is fasting or not. If she cannot fast, she can still gain immense reward through prayer, Qur’an, charity, and dhikr.

Categories: PRAYER ,ALMS , SAWN HAJJ & DUA , Hadith and Tafseer, The Holy Quran, Quran Jaz 1- 114

Helpful Islamic websites for readers

For follow-up reading, many families benefit from trusted question-answer platforms and community discussions. Useful places include islamqa.info/en (for fatwa-style answers), islamicteachings.org/forum (for community discussion), and, from time to time, quranmualim.com for general Ramadan learning topics.

For one direct ruling-based reference on this topic, see this detailed answer on IslamQA (pregnancy and fasting).

Hanafi fiqh books to consult

Here are useful Hanafi titles often found in libraries and archives (PDF scans may exist in legal/public collections):

Radd al-Muhtar (Ibn Abidin)
Al-Hidayah (al-Marghinani)
Bada’i al-Sana’i (al-Kasani)
Mukhtasar al-Quduri
Fatawa Hindiyyah (Al-Fatawa al-‘Alamgariyyah)

Also Read: Surah Kahf Complete: English Translation, Transliteration, PDF and Friday Recitation Benefits

FAQ

Can a pregnant woman fast if she feels normal?

Yes. If she is healthy and fasting does not harm her or the baby, she may fast. Pregnancy itself is not an automatic excuse.

What if she starts fasting and then feels weak?

She can break the fast if real weakness or harm appears. Islam does not ask her to continue through danger or severe difficulty.

Does she need fidyah or only make-up fasts?

In the Hanafi view commonly taught, she usually makes up missed fasts later. Fidyah is generally not required for temporary pregnancy-related missed fasts.

Can she still benefit from Ramadan if she cannot fast?

Absolutely. She can do dua, dhikr, Qur’an recitation, charity, and night worship. Ramadan rewards are much bigger than fasting alone.

What is the common 3rd Ashra dua in English?

A common one is: “O Allah, save me from the Fire.” Many Muslims recite it in the last ten days of Ramadan.

Conclusion

The best answer to this topic is balanced and merciful: do pregnant women fast during ramadan depends on safety, health, and likely harm. Islam gives room for both options without guilt. If she can fast safely, she fasts. If she cannot, she pauses, worships in other ways, and makes up later.

That is the beauty of do pregnant women fast during Ramadan in Islamic law: it protects devotion and protects life at the same time. Learn the rule, make a calm plan, and enter Ramadan with confidence.

If someone in your family is expecting, use this guidance, support her kindly, and let do pregnant women should fast during ramadan become a question that leads to clarity, not stress.

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