In What Condition Can You Break Your Fast?

October 23, 2025 •

3 min read

According to Islamic Relief, exemptions for fasting are granted to certain individuals to ensure no undue hardship is caused, which prompts the question: in what condition can you break your fast?. The principles of Islam prioritize the well-being of its followers, offering compassionate exceptions for those who cannot fast safely.

Quick Summary

This article explores the valid conditions and religious exemptions that permit an individual to break their fast, detailing the specific circumstances and required compensatory actions such as making up missed days or paying expiation.

Key Points

Sickness: Temporary illness requires making up missed fasts (Qada), while chronic illness requires compensation (Fidya).
Travel: A traveler may break their fast and make it up later, provided the journey meets specific conditions.
Pregnancy/Breastfeeding: Exemptions apply if there is a fear of harm to the mother or baby, with differing compensations depending on the risk.
Menstruation: Women must break their fast during their menstrual cycle and make up the missed days afterward.
Elderly and Frail: Elderly individuals for whom fasting is a severe hardship are exempted and must pay Fidya.
Intense Thirst/Hunger: In extreme circumstances that pose a health risk, one may break the fast and make it up later.
Unintentional Eating: Forgetting one is fasting and eating or drinking does not invalidate the fast.

Sickness and Health-Related Exemptions

Islamic jurisprudence allows for breaking a fast due to various health conditions, based on the Quranic verse (Al-Baqarah: 184). The nature of the illness dictates the course of action.

Temporary Illness

Individuals with temporary illnesses like severe flu or fever who fear fasting will worsen their condition can break their fast. They must make up these fasts later (Qada). This applies to potential real harm, not minor discomfort.

Chronic or Permanent Illness

Those with chronic conditions posing significant health risks from fasting are permanently exempt. Instead of making up fasts, they pay Fidya, which is feeding one poor person per missed day.

Pregnancy and Breastfeeding

Pregnant and breastfeeding women are exempted if fasting might harm them or their baby. If the mother's health is at risk, she makes up the fast later. If only the baby's health is feared, she makes up the fasts and pays Fidya.

Travel and Other Conditions

Travel is another valid reason for exemption to ease hardship.

Valid Traveling Conditions

The journey must be long enough to shorten prayers and for a legitimate purpose. A traveler can choose whether to fast, but if fasting causes extreme difficulty, breaking it may be disliked or even obligatory. Opinions differ on breaking a fast if travel begins after dawn.

Menstruation and Post-natal Bleeding

Fasting is forbidden for women during menstruation or post-natal bleeding. They must break their fast and make up the missed days later.

Old Age

Elderly individuals who are too frail to fast are exempted and must pay Fidya for each missed day.

Comparison of Expiation and Compensation

Compensation for a broken fast varies depending on the reason. The table below outlines the actions required for different scenarios.


Reason for Breaking Fast	Temporary Illness	Chronic Illness/Old Age	Pregnancy/Breastfeeding	Travel	Menstruation	Intentional Without Valid Excuse
Action Required	Make up missed days (Qada)	Pay Fidya (feed one poor person per day)	Qada (and possibly Fidya if harm is feared for the baby)	Qada	Qada	Kaffarah (expiation) and sincere repentance
Conditions	Hope of recovery	No hope of recovery or extreme difficulty	Fear of harm to mother or baby	Meeting defined travel criteria	During menstrual cycle	Deliberate, without valid justification

Other Situations

Other circumstances may permit or require breaking a fast.

Intense Hunger or Thirst

Breaking a fast is allowed for intense, unbearable hunger or thirst posing a serious health risk, with the day to be made up later.

Compulsion or Duress

Being forced to break a fast under threat is exempted from sin, but the fast must still be made up later.

Unintentional Breaking

Eating or drinking due to forgetfulness does not break the fast. The individual should continue fasting, as it's considered divine provision.

Conclusion

Islamic law offers merciful exemptions for breaking fasts due to illness, travel, pregnancy, and other hardships, ensuring health and safety are prioritized. Compensation like Qada or Fidya is required, while intentional breaking without valid reason necessitates Kaffarah. Understanding these rules helps Muslims observe their obligations responsibly. Consulting professionals is advisable for complex cases. For more information, the Zakat Foundation discusses valid exemptions for not fasting during Ramadan.(https://www.zakat.org/valid-exemptions-for-not-fasting-ramadan).

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, if you have a temporary illness and believe fasting will worsen it or delay recovery, you can break your fast. You must make up the missed days later (Qada). For chronic illnesses, you are exempted and can pay Fidya instead.

Yes, it is permissible for a traveler on a long enough journey to break their fast. The purpose is to provide ease during travel. The missed fasts must be made up at a later time.

If a pregnant or breastfeeding woman fears harm to herself or her baby from fasting, she may break her fast. She must make up the fast later. If she fears only for the baby, she must make up the fast and pay Fidya.

A woman who is menstruating or experiencing post-natal bleeding is forbidden from fasting. She must break her fast and make up the missed days after her cycle is complete.

Yes, elderly individuals who are too frail or for whom fasting poses an extreme hardship are exempted. They are required to pay Fidya by feeding a poor person for each missed day.

If you eat or drink unintentionally or out of forgetfulness while fasting, your fast remains valid. You should simply continue fasting for the rest of the day, as it is considered that Allah has fed and given you to drink.

Intentionally breaking a fast without a valid excuse is a serious sin in Islam. It requires sincere repentance and making up the fast. If broken by sexual intercourse, it also requires a major expiation (Kaffarah).