Breaking Fast Due to Sickness What You Should Know

Question

Can You Break Your Fast If You Feel Sick?
Question: 12488

Bottom Line

Yes, you can break your fast due to sickness, but only if fasting worsens the illness, delays recovery, or causes unbearable hardship.

Quick Answer

Islam permits breaking the fast if sickness makes fasting harmful or extremely difficult. Minor issues like mild headaches, colds, or toothaches are not valid reasons to stop fasting. Severe illness, or even fear of worsening sickness, allows breaking the fast. Missed days must be made up when health returns.

Key Points

• Fasting may be broken if it worsens sickness or delays recovery.
• Severe hardship from fasting is also a valid reason to break it.
• Fear of falling sick counts like actual sickness.
• Minor sickness without hardship does not permit breaking the fast.
• Missed fasts should be made up once the person recovers.

Detailed Answer

The scholars, including the four imams, agreed that sickness can allow breaking the fast — but not every sickness qualifies. The Qur’an permits the sick to break their fast, yet scholars clarified the ruling applies when fasting harms health or is unbearably difficult.

When Breaking the Fast Is Allowed

• When fasting worsens the sickness.
• When recovery is delayed by fasting.
• When fasting itself causes severe hardship, even if the illness does not worsen.
• When there is fear of becoming sick due to fasting.

Ibn Qudāmah (رحمه الله) said in al-Mughnī (4/403):

“The kind of sickness in which it is permitted to break the fast is intense sickness which will be made worse by fasting or it is feared that recovery will be delayed.”

Minor Sickness Does Not Qualify

Al-Nawawī (رحمه الله) clarified in al-Majmūʿ (6/261):

“With regard to the person who is slightly sick and who does not suffer any obvious hardship, it is not permissible for him to break his fast.”

Shaykh Ibn ʿUthaymīn (رحمه الله) said:

“The sick person who is not affected by fasting, such as one who has a slight cold, headache, or toothache, is not permitted to break his fast. The Qur’an’s allowance applies only when fasting brings hardship.” (al-Sharh al-Mumtiʿ, 6/352)

What This Means for You

If sickness makes fasting harmful or too difficult, you are allowed to break your fast. If it is a minor illness without hardship, you should continue fasting. Any missed fasts due to sickness must be made up later when health returns.

And Allah knows best

References

Primary Sources

• Qur’an 2:185 : Allah permits the sick to break their fast.
• IslamQA Fatwa 12488: Sickness and breaking the fast in Ramadan.

Secondary Sources

• Ibn Qudāmah, al-Mughnī (4/403).
• Al-Nawawī, al-Majmūʿ (6/261).
• Ibn ʿUthaymīn, al-Sharh al-Mumtiʿ (6/352).