Chapter on the Age at Which Children Are Required to Observe Fasting

الصَّبِيُّ يُؤْخَذُ بِالصِّيَامِ إِذَا بَلَغَ تِسْعَ سِنِينَ عَلَى قَدْرِ مَا يُطِيقُهُ فَإِنْ أَطَاقَ إِلَى الظُّهْرِ أَوْ بَعْدَهُ صَامَ إِلَى ذَلِكَ الْوَقْتِ فَإِذَا غَلَبَ عَلَيْهِ الْجُوعُ أَوِ الْعَطَشُ أَفْطَرَ[1]

Hadith.1903 - Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (as) said: "A child is to be encouraged to fast when they reach nine years of age, according to their capacity. If they can fast until noon or a little beyond, they should do so. However, if hunger or thirst overwhelms them, they may break their fast."

إِذَا أَطَاقَ الْغُلَامُ صَوْمَ ثَلَاثَةِ أَيَّامٍ مُتَتَابِعَةٍ فَقَدْ وَجَبَ عَلَيْهِ صِيَامُ شَهْرِ رَمَضَانَ‌[2].

Hadith.1904 - It is narrated from Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (as) through Isma'il ibn Muslim that He said: "If a boy is able to fast for three consecutive days, fasting the Month of Ramadan becomes obligatory upon him."

إِذَا قَوِيَ عَلَى الصِّيَامِ.

Hadith.1905 - Sama'ah asked Imam (as) about when a child should begin fasting. Imam (as) said: "When he is strong enough to fast."

سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع فِي كَمْ يُؤْخَذُ الصَّبِيُّ بِالصِّيَامِ قَالَ مَا بَيْنَهُ وَ بَيْنَ خَمْسَ عَشْرَةَ سَنَةً[3] أَوْ أَرْبَعَ عَشْرَةَ سَنَةً فَإِنْ هُوَ صَامَ قَبْلَ ذَلِكَ فَدَعْهُ وَ لَقَدْ صَامَ ابْنِي فُلَانٌ قَبْلَ ذَلِكَ فَتَرَكْتُهُ.

Hadith.1906 - In the narration of Mu'awiyah ibn Wahb, he said: "I asked Abu Abdullah (as) at what age a child should be required to fast. Imam (as) said: 'Between fourteen and fifteen years of age. If he fasts before that, let him be. My son so-and-so fasted before that age, and I left him to it.'"

وَ فِي خَبَرٍ آخَرَ: «عَلَى اَلصَّبِيِّ إِذَا اِحْتَلَمَ اَلصِّيَامُ وَ عَلَى اَلْمَرْأَةِ إِذَا حَاضَتِ اَلصِّيَامُ ».

Hadith.1907 - In another report: "A boy is required to fast when he reaches puberty, and a woman is required to fast when she menstruates."