Breastfeeding while fasting
Question
I would be grateful if Mufti Saheb could advise me on what is best course of action with regards to my situation as follows:
Ramadhan is just around the corner. I have a 9 month old baby who is breastfeeding and two other children. The fasting days, will be very long, as I live in the UK. What should I do in this situation?
Should I carry on breastfeeding while I observe the fasts?
Or should I wean my baby off so then I may be able to fast bearing in mind that she's hardly one year old in age?
Or do I continue breastfeeding but do not observe fast and make up the fasting days immediately after Ramadhan?
Or should I teach her to drink from the bottle, drinking my milk, and observe the fasts?
Please advise accordingly. Also, I am a Shafi'ee.
Answer
If you can manage to keep the fast as well as breastfeed the child, then you should do so. If you cannot manage to keep the fast, then you should make up for the missed fast after the month of Ramadhaan.
And Allah Ta'ala (الله تعالى) knows best.
References (Arabic / Urdu sources)
وأما الحامل والمرضع فإن أفطرتا خوفا من الصوم على نفسيهما ولو مع ولديهما تغليبا للمسقط وعملا بالأصل من حصول مرض ونحوه بالصوم كالضرر الحاصل من الصوم للمريض وجب عليهما القضاء بلا فدية كالمريض المرجو البرء (نهاية المحتاج إلى شرح المنهاج 3/194)
- Answered by
- Mufti Zakaria Makada
- Checked & approved by
- Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Isipingo Beach)
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