Women and Fasting
Friday 13th October 2006

As we approach the end of the holy month of Ramadan, every Muslim woman is apparently busy doing one thing or another. While some are busy buying nice clothes for the Koriteh, others are still preoccupied with the worship of  Allah (SWT). It is an established fact that no mature Muslim woman can fast the whole month of Ramadan, on account of the fact that though fasting obligatory to every mature and healthy Muslim, a woman at any given time is either pregnant, suckling or menstruating.

There are still certain people who tenaciously hold onto the belief that pregnant and suckling women should not keep fast during the holy month and that they can recompense later. But while some insist on making up for the lost days by fasting after Ramadan, others prefer giving out the prescribed charity to keeping fast. This has triggered a lot of debate and confusion within the Muslim community and conflicting accounts are being given on the subject. In the light of this state of affairs, we turned to Ajaratou Maimuna Savage, an erudite Islamic scholar, for elucidation. 

She She:Thanks a lot for agreeing to our request to grant us an interview at such short notice, which is quite wonderful of you. Well at the outset, we would like you to enlighten us about fasting in the month of Ramadan and its significance?  

Aja Maimuna: Fasting in the month of Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Islam and it is compulsory upon both men and women. It is an act of worshipping and both men and women have been created for the main purpose of worshipping Allah.

It has been mentioned by Allah in verse 183 of chapter 2 of the Holy Quran, “Oh you who believe, fasting has been prescribed for you even as it was prescribed for those before you, so that you may fear Allah.” From this we learn that fasting is indeed compulsory upon men as well as women.

She She: Is fasting for every woman and at every time in Ramadan?

Aja Maimuna: There are women who are exempted from fasting and these are women who are in the course of menstruation and who have given birth to a newly born baby. These women may postpone the fast to later days after the month of Ramadan and make up for it a day for a day. They must wait until they are clean. Then they can fast after purifying themselves. Pregnant women, after delivery, should wait for 40 days before praying or fasting as is traditional, but can do these whenever the blood stops even if it stops at one week. Suckling mothers may also postpone the fast to later days if they fear that the fasting would affect the health of the baby.

She She: What about old women?

Aja Maimuna: Old women who are mentally or physically unfit are also exempted from fasting. These women should feed poor and needy Muslims with an average full meal per person per day.

If a woman worships Allah sincerely, she would be rewarded with an equal position in heaven like a man who also worships Allah sincerely.

She She: What advice do you have?

Aja Maimuna: My advice to every woman is for them to take the month of Ramadan seriously by serving Allah especially during the last ten days of the month during which the Holy Quran was sent down as a guide to mankind.

I wish every Muslim a happy celebration of the night of power (Lailatul Kadri) and Koriteh (Eidel- Fitr) in advance.