Fatwa ID: 06604

Answered by: Alimah Aabedah Khatun

Question:

My daughter is 11 years old she is in year 6, she start having her period last month so she has to fast all of the Holy month, but the school send us a letter that’s she is not allowed to fast during school time, I spoke with the headteacher he told me she will fast the first 20 days at home because it’s a holiday for the rest she is not allowed we Don’t take responsibility that she will be unwell during school because of the fast.

Please tell me what to do. I’m really confused. Does the school have the right by law to ban my daughter from fasting? Can you advise me on what to do?

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

Answer:

If you can speak to the head teacher again and let him know that by fasting she will not get ill then that would be best, you could also explain that she has reached maturity and as part of the Islamic law, these fasts are now necessary for her.

أما شروطه: فثلاثة أنواع: الإسلام والعقل والبلوغ

(Fatawa Hindiyyah – volume 1 – page 215 – DKI)

If however, they are not letting her keep the fasts at all then she could miss the ones during school days and make up (do qadha) of the missed ones afterwards. There is a principle which is ‘Necessities permit the prohibited things’, following this, she must ensure that the fasts are made up as soon as possible.

الضرورات تبيح المحظورات

(Qawaid Fiqhiyah – page 43)

Usually, schools should allow the students to fast if they are old enough to, however, some schools have strict rulings due to thinking that students may fall ill or become weak due to fasting so they prohibit it to safeguard health.

Only Allah knows best.

Written by Alimah Aabedah Khatun

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham