Breastfeeding and Pregnant Women Break their Fast, Feed a Poor Person for Each Day, without Making up the Missed Days

Allah (the Most High) stated:

۞ وَٱلْوَٰلِدَٰتُ يُرْضِعْنَ أَوْلَـٰدَهُنَّ حَوْلَيْنِ كَامِلَيْنِ ۖ لِمَنْ أَرَادَ أَن يُتِمَّ ٱلرَّضَاعَةَ ۚ وَعَلَى ٱلْمَوْلُودِ لَهُۥ رِزْقُهُنَّ وَكِسْوَتُهُنَّ بِٱلْمَعْرُوفِ ۚ

“The mothers shall breastfeed their children for two whole years—that is for those who desire to complete the term of suckling, and the father of the child shall bear the cost of the mother’s food and clothing on a reasonable basis.” (Al-Baqarah: 233)

So, the mother is expected to breastfeed her child for two complete years, that is the origin, even though it is permitted to wean them onto normal food earlier than that:

• If the child is able to eat and can rely on that for its sustenance.
• Or the mother is harmed by breastfeeding for a long periods.
• Or trusted Muslim physicians have explained to her that breastfeeding is making her sick/unwell.
• Or if her milk is harmful to the child because there is a health issue with the child, or because the mother is eating something that enters the milk and harms the baby.

As for the mother withholding breastmilk from the baby without reason and without a valid Shariah excuse (as stated in the examples above), then it is considered sinful, and she is threatened with punishment in the Hereafter.

The Prophet (salallāhu ʿalaihi wasallam) mentioned that he saw women in the Fire of Hell and snakes were biting at their breasts. So, he asked: “Why are they being punished?” It was said: “They withheld breastmilk from their children.” (Ibn Hibbān in his Saheeh, and graded saheeh by al-Albānī in Saheeh at-Targheeb wat-Tarheeb)

A mother withholding the baby’s milk is a serious matter because the baby is in dire need of it, and Allah created this milk for the baby.

It is due to this breastfeeding—that Allah has obligated for the preservation of the life of the child as well as for the wellbeing of the mother, and the protecting the foetus in the womb of the mother—that Allah has sent down His vast mercy upon her in that He (the Most High) has lifted from her the obligation of fasting in Ramadān. Furthermore, He (the Mighty and Majestic) did not command them with qadā (making up the missed fasts). Rather, He (the Most High) instructed them to break their fast and pay compensation (fidyah) in the form of food to be given to the poor.

Allah (the Most High) stated:

وَعَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ يُطِيقُونَهُۥ فِدْيَةٌۭ طَعَامُ مِسْكِينٍۢ ۖ

“And upon those who are able to fast, but with hardship, for them is a recompense (fidyah) of feeding a poor person for each day.” (Al-Baqarah: 184) Meaning, it is hard upon them or they may receive harm, or others are harmed such as the foetus in the womb, or the baby being breastfed as Ibn ʿAbbās explained—and he is the scholar of the Qur’an in this Ummah. He said that the pregnant and breastfeeding woman are from those who ‘fast with difficulty’ [as mentioned in the āyah]. Likewise, those old in age and unable to fast among the elderly men and women, as well as the permanently sick, who are unlikely to recover.

All of these break their fast or withhold from fasting in Ramadan, and pay fidyah (compensation) instead as food given to the poor for every day they miss. Each pays according to their condition—a mudd, a sāʿ, or half a sāʿ of food that is eaten by the poor, such as wheat, corn, dates, raisins and rice. A mudd is both hands cupped together, which equates to 600 grams. So, a Prophetic sā’ is 2.4 kg, and half a sā’ is 1.2 kg.

This compensation cannot be paid in cash because Allah has commanded its payment in the form of food just like zakāt al-fitr.

The authentic Sunnah affirms and emphasises what is established in the Qur’an of the vast mercy of Allah upon the pregnant and breastfeeding women—so they do not need to fast, it is not obligated upon them. Allah’s Messenger (salallāhu ʿalayhi wasallam) said: “Indeed, Allah alleviated from the traveller half the prayer, and He alleviated the fast from the pregnant and breastfeeding woman.” (Graded hasan by Al-Albāni in Sahīh Sunan Ibn Mājah (1/279), Sahīh Sunan An-Nasā’i (2/484), Sahīh Sunan At-Tirmidhi (1/218))

So, Allah removed the obligation of fasting for the pregnant and breastfeeding woman. And the most correct saying which was the view of a group of the Sahābah and scholars is that the pregnant and breastfeeding do not need to fast, and they do not need to make up the fast (qaḍā). Rather, upon them is to give fidyah (compensation) just as Allah said in the verse cited above from al-Baqarah: “A recompense (fidyah) of feeding a poor person for each day.”

There is no proof for the one who opposes this and instead makes qaḍā obligatory, or even qaḍā and fidyah combined—and by doing so they equate the ruling of pregnant/breastfeeding woman to the person who is sick, who is obligated to make up the fast after Ramadan. So this analogy and ruling between the two is not correct because the pregnant or breastfeeding woman is not sick. Her state is unique and a blessing from Allah, and her ruling is particular for her that Allah has made clear in His Book, and the Messenger (salallāhu ʿalaihi wasallam) explained in the Sunnah, and likewise his Companions (radiyallāhu ʿanhum) such as Ibn ʿUmar who had a daughter married to a man from Quraish. She was pregnant, and became thirsty in Ramadan, so Ibn ʿUmar (radiyallāhu ʿanhumā) instructed her to break her fast, and then to feed a poor person for each day she misses. (Reported by Dāruqutnī, who graded it saheeh, as did al-Albānī in Irwā’ al-Ghaleel)

Ibn ‘Abbās (radiyallāhu ‘anhumā) said: “If the pregnant woman fears for herself, or the breastfeeding woman for her child in Ramadān, then they are to break their fast and in place feed a poor person for each day and they are not to make up the missed days.” (Its chain of narration is sahīh. Reported by At-Tabari in his Tafsīr (2/136, Dar Al-Fikr)

So, whoever tells the woman other than this, in opposition to these texts or she says: ‘To make up the fasts after Ramadan is too difficult.’ So, instead she forces herself to fast without real concern for the baby in her womb or her breastfeeding baby out fear of having to make qaḍā of the missed fasts!

So it is said to her: Who obligated fasting on you [in your state] in the first place?! This is from exaggeration and unnecessary hardship that opposes the ease offered by this forbearing Religion. Allah (the Most High) said:

وَمَا جَعَلَ عَلَيْكُمْ فِي الدِّينِ مِنْ حَرَجٍ

“And Allah did not place upon you in Religion, any hardship.”

And He (the Most High):

لَا يُكَلِّفُ الله نَفْسًا إِلَّا وُسْعَهَا

“Allah does not burden a soul with more than it can bear.”

May Allah guide all the people to that which He loves and is pleased with.

Abu Khadeejah Abdul-Wāhid.

(Ref: Adapted from an article by Shaikh Nizar Ibn Hāshim An-Nizār, Ramadan 2/Ramadan/1441 — Telegram @shnizaralabbas)

Also read: Pregnant and breastfeeding women who missed their fasts in Ramadān ―Should they make up the days or feed a poor person for each day missed?