Fasting Ramadan: essential rules, special cases and practical tips

A month apart: the meaning of fasting

The الصَّوْم (sawm, fasting) of the month of Ramadan is the fourth pillar of Islam. For about thirty days, from dawn to sunset, the Muslim abstains from eating, drinking and marital relations. The Quran states its purpose from the very first verses that prescribe it: to attain piety.

These verses already contain the essentials: fasting is an obligation, it lasts a set number of days, and it comes with allowances, for “Allah wants ease for you.” The Prophet ﷺ described fasting as a protection:

The essential rules

Fasting is obligatory for every Muslim who has reached puberty, is of sound mind, is able to do it and is resident. It begins at dawn (the time of Fajr), not at sunrise, and ends at sunset (the time of Maghrib). The Quran sets its limits:

What breaks the fast, when done deliberately and knowing that one is fasting:

• eating or drinking, including taking medication by mouth;
• having marital relations (which entails, in addition to making it up, an expiation called kaffâra);
• making oneself vomit deliberately;
• the onset of menstruation or postnatal bleeding, even shortly before sunset.

On the other hand, whoever eats or drinks by forgetfulness continues his fast: the Prophet ﷺ said that it is Allah who fed him and gave him drink (reported by al-Bukhari and Muslim). Showering, brushing the teeth without swallowing, or swallowing one’s saliva do not break the fast.

Special cases and exemptions

The Quran itself provides for exceptions, without guilt:

• The sick person whose condition would worsen and the traveler may break the fast, then make up the missed days after Ramadan.
• The elderly person or the chronically ill person who will never be able to fast feeds one poor person for each day (fidya); the amount is often announced each year by mosques.
• The woman who is menstruating or has postnatal bleeding does not fast, and makes up these days later, by agreement of the scholars.
• The child is not required to fast before puberty. The Companions nevertheless accustomed their children to fasting and gave them toys to help them be patient, according to an account reported by al-Bukhari and Muslim.

Living your days well: health and organization

The meal before dawn, the السَّحُور (sahûr), is not a detail: it helps you get through the day, and it carries a blessing.

Conversely, the breaking of the fast, the iftâr, should not be delayed once the sun has set:

A few simple habits make the days easier:

• drink regularly between iftâr and sahûr, rather than a liter all at once;
• begin the iftâr with a few dates and water, then wait a little before the main dish;
• at sahûr, favor foods that stay with you (whole grains, dairy, fruit) and limit fried food and sugar;
• keep time for sleep, for example a short nap in the afternoon;
• plan physical activity for after iftâr instead.

As a family, Ramadan needs preparing: share the shopping and cooking so that the load does not fall on a single person, prepare simple meals in advance, let the children take part (setting the table, offering dates to the neighbors). The supplications for breaking the fast can become a small shared ritual.

The nights, the Quran and behavior

Ramadan is the month in which the Quran was revealed. Many read the Quran every day and pray at night, notably the tarâwîh prayers at the mosque. The last ten nights contain the Night of Decree:

But fasting is not limited to the stomach. The tongue, the eyes and the mood fast too:

Tiredness at the end of the day sometimes makes us irritable: reminding yourself “I am fasting” before answering is applying the hadith of the shield. Hisn al-Muslim also offers a phrase to say when provoked.

After Ramadan

Before the ‘Îd al-Fitr prayer, each family pays the zakât al-fitr for each of its members, young and old, so that the poorest can celebrate too (al-Bukhari no. 1503). The month ends with the joy of ‘Îd, then the sunna invites us to prolong the momentum:

Days missed because of illness, travel or menstruation are made up before the next Ramadan, preferably without waiting too long.

Going further

• Read the verses on fasting: Surah al-Baqara, verses 183 to 187.
• The supplications for breaking the fast in Hisn al-Muslim.
• Preparing for the celebration: the two festivals, ‘Îd al-Fitr and ‘Îd al-Adha.
• Check the Fajr and Maghrib times on the prayer times page.