Fasting for a Feeding Mother Can a woman, who is breastfeeding the baby, fast during the month of Ramadhan ? Thank you Sami Malik Reply The issue should, in my opinion, be decided through consultation with a qualified medical practitioner. If he/she thinks that the feeding mother can bear the burden of fasting throughout the day, without affecting her own health and that of the baby, and if the mother also feels strong enough to do so, she may, then continue fasting. On the other hand, if the medical professional thinks otherwise, then it would better and advisable to avoid fasting till the time that the child has to be fed. Nevertheless, the general practice of the mothers has generally been to refrain from fasting during these days, for medical reasons, for which the Shari`ah has allowed the person to miss fasting. The Qur'an has clearly allowed a person to miss the number of fasts during which it is medically advisable for him/her to refrain from fasting. Thus, whether a feeding mother should fast or not is, basically, a decision regarding the fitness of the woman for fasting. If the feels and is declared to be fit for fasting, she may decide to do so. On the contrary, if she feels weak and is advised to refrain from fasting during these days, then the Shari`ah allows her to miss fasting, during the month of Ramadhan and then complete the number of missed fasts, when she is fit to do so. I hope this helps. Regards, Moiz Amjad , Otherwise you may simply Close this Window