What Has Been Said About Those Who Are Unable to Fast, Whether They Are an Elderly Person, a Young Person, a Pregnant Woman, or a Nursing Mother

سَمِعْتُ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ ع يَقُولُ‌ الشَّيْخُ الْكَبِيرُ وَ الَّذِي بِهِ الْعُطَاشُ لَا حَرَجَ عَلَيْهِمَا أَنْ يُفْطِرَا فِي شَهْرِ رَمَضَانَ وَ يَتَصَدَّقَ كُلُّ وَاحِدٍ مِنْهُمَا فِي كُلِّ يَوْمٍ بِمُدٍّ مِنْ طَعَامٍ وَ لَا قَضَاءَ عَلَيْهِمَا فَإِنْ لَمْ يَقْدِرَا فَلَا شَيْ‌ءَ عَلَيْهِمَا[1].

"I heard Abu Ja'far (as) say: 'An elderly person and one suffering from chronic thirst are not at fault if they break their fast during the Month of Ramadan. Each of them should give a mudd (a specific measure) of food as charity for each day, and there is no obligation to make up the fast. If they cannot afford this,

يَشْرَبُ بِقَدْرِ مَا يُمْسِكُ رَمَقَهُ وَ لَا يَشْرَبُ حَتَّى يَرْوَى‌[2].

Hadith.1948 - Ammar ibn Musa narrated from Abu Abdullah (as) regarding a man who becomes so thirsty that he fears for his life. Imam (as) said: "He may drink just enough to sustain himself and prevent collapse, but he should not drink until he is fully satisfied."

وَ فِي رِوَايَةِ ابْنِ بُكَيْرٍ أَنَّهُ سُئِلَ الصَّادِقُ ع عَنْ قَوْلِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَ‌

Hadith.1949 - In the narration of Ibn Bukayr, it is reported that Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (as) was asked about the verse of Allah (swt), the Exalted: "And upon those who can fast with difficulty, there is a ransom: the feeding of a poor person" (Surah Al-Baqarah 2:184). Imam (as) said: "[This applies] to those

سَمِعْتُهُ يَقُولُ‌ الْحَامِلُ الْمُقْرِبُ وَ الْمُرْضِعُ الْقَلِيلَةُ اللَّبَنِ لَا حَرَجَ عَلَيْهِمَا أَنْ تُفْطِرَا فِي شَهْرِ رَمَضَانَ لِأَنَّهُمَا لَا تُطِيقَانِ الصَّوْمَ وَ عَلَيْهِمَا أَنْ تَتَصَدَّقَ كُلُّ وَاحِدَةٍ مِنْهُمَا فِي كُلِّ يَوْمٍ تُفْطِرُ فِيهِ بِمُدٍّ مِنْ طَعَامٍ وَ عَلَيْهِمَا قَضَاءُ كُلِّ يَوْمٍ أَفْطَرَا فِيهِ ثُمَّ تَقْضِيَانِهِ بَعْدُ.

"I heard him say: 'A pregnant woman in her late term and a nursing woman with little milk are not at fault if they break their fast during the Month of Ramadan because they are unable to fast. They must each give a mudd (a specific measure) of food as charity for every day they break their fast, and they must make up e

يَتَصَدَّقُ عَنْ كُلِّ يَوْمٍ بِمُدٍّ مِنْ حِنْطَةٍ.

Hadith.1951 - Abd al-Malik ibn Utbah al-Hashimi asked Abu al-Hasan (as) about an elderly man and an elderly woman who are too weak to fast during the Month of Ramadan. Imam (as) said: "They should give a mudd (a specific measure) of wheat as charity for each day."