Question:

If my wife found out she was pregnant yesterday, is she obligated to fast Ramadan or can she fast Ramadan?

Answer:

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.

In principle, a pregnant woman is permitted to not keep the fasts of Ramadhan and make them up later on condition that she fears harm to her life or the child’s life. If there is no fear of harm, then it is necessary for a pregnant woman to keep the fasts of Ramadhan.

Whether the fasting is harmful or not must be ascertained through one of the following two ways:

1. Previous experience from a past pregnancy proves fasting to be harmful

2. A religious Muslim doctor says that fasting will harmful

It is not permissible for a pregnant woman to not fast merely due to her own assumption.[1]

And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best

(Mufti) Abdul Azeem bin Abdur Rahman

Disclaimer:

The Shar’a ruling herein given is based specifically on the question posed and should be read in conjunction with the question.

Darul Iftaa Texas bears no responsibility to any party who may or may not act on this answer and is being hereby exempted from loss or damage howsoever caused.

This answer may not be used as evidence in any Court of Law without prior written consent of Darul Iftaa Texas.

[1]  “والخوف المعتبر” لإباحة الفطر طريق معرفته أمران أحدهما “ما كان مستندا” فيه “لغلبة الظن” فإنها بمنزلة اليقين “بتجربة” سابقة والثاني قوله “أو إخبار طبيب” مسلم حاذق عدل عالم بداء كذا في البرهان وقال الكمال مسلم حاذق غير ظاهر الفسق وقيل عدالته شرط (مراقي الفلاح، كتاب الصوم، فصل في العوارض)

مسائل رفعت قاسمي، ج 4، ص 158-159، حامدكتب خانه كراتشى