13 year old daughter too weak and frail to fast during Ramadhaan

Reference: Fataawa al-Lajnah ad-Daa.imah lil-Buhooth al-‘Ilmiyyah wal-Iftaa. – Fatwa No.84
Fataawa Ramadhaan – Volume 1, Page 388, Fatwa No.345

Question: A man who has a daughter of 13 years of age began her menses just before the month of Ramadhaan. So he told her to fast. However, because she was weak and frail, the fasting became difficult for her. [As a result of this] she did not fast the last part of the month because she was unable to do so. Is she now required to make up the fasts for these days [she missed] or is she relieved from doing so because of her inability that she cannot fast?

Response: Since this (your) daughter attained puberty just before the month of Ramadhaan, by the presence of one of the signs of puberty – that being her having started her menses, then fasting has become obligatory upon her. So the days in which she left off fasting because she was unable to fast due to being weak and frail, then she is not relieved of these fasts, rather she is to fast them when she is able to do so, as Allaah (Subhaanahu wa Ta’aala) says:

{…and whoever is ill or on a journey, the same number [of days which one did not observe fasting must be made up] from other days}, [Soorah al-Baqarah, Aayah 185]

And with Allaah lies all success, and may Allaah send prayers and salutations upon our Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and his family and his companions.

He is a graduate of the Islaamic University of Madeenah, having graduated from the Institute of Arabic Language, and later the Faculty of Sharee'ah in 2004. He currently resides in Birmingham, UK.

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