Should I fast?

**saihah** · 04-07-2012, 04:05 PM

, Hope everybody is doing well inshaAllah.

I am very confused about something. I am 3 and half months pregnant Alhamdulillah and by the time Ramadan starts I will be 4 inshaAllah. I don't have any vomiting or any severe symptoms as such by the mercy of Allah swt but I feel hungry all the time. Within 3-4 hours of eating I start getting severe hunger cramps so much so that I lose all my strength and feel nauseus and giddy.

I searched online and most of the websites including askimam say that a woman should not fast if it's going to cause harm to her or the baby. Does intense hunger come under that? If there is no direct medical harm to the pregnancy as such, does extreme hunger count as a valid reason to not fast?

I have not missed ramadan fasts in the past and it does not feel right to miss them now, but I feel I do not have the strength, I am tired all the time because I get so hungry so often.

I would greatly appreciate any help and advice on this inshaAllah.

may Allah swt accept our efforts, ameen.

**mercyofAllah** · 04-07-2012, 04:40 PM

walaikum assalam
It is better you consult a doctor if it is safe for you and the child.
Last year someone close to me was pregnant and she fasted for few days in ramadhan when she was about 1-2 months pregnant but then when she consulted a doctor, there was some internal bleeding and she was advised not to fast. I know 7 months pregnant ladies fasted in ramadhan. So i think it all depends on the person. The best thing is to consult the doctor and pray istikhara too.
Allahu alam

**saihah** · 06-07-2012, 11:12 PM

sister for your reply. My doctor tells me it's upto me. I do not have any medical problem that will directly affect my pregnancy if I fast. The only problem I have is extreme hunger and am tired all the time. I get severe hunger pangs within hours of eating and it's uncontrollable at times.

Was wondering if hunger comes under "harm" and what I should do about fasting?

Would greatly appreciate help on this matter, "jazak:

**mubakr** · 07-07-2012, 12:40 AM

I really think you should either consult an obstetrician or a doctor (like paeditrician) with an interest in fetal development for this question and should not ask such questions like these on forums. I am not sure that there are many doctors here. Even if there are, there is nothing like a generic doctor who should be given authority to answer. Did you get your advise from a GP or obstetrician? Today and with the knowledge ocean humans have specialized into it would be most appropriate to ask a obstetrician trained in western medical sciences who might search the literature and tell you about any studies done about adverse development in babies done on Muslim mothers who fasted. After you have knowledge about how your fetus might or might not be affected if your nutrition is radically changed with a prolonged fasting period and in the context of your overall health then only can you make a decision whether you should fast or not fast. I think even the information you get from a medical specialist would most probably be opinion rather than based on trials, studies and thus empirical evidence however that opinion would be better than any other opinion from a religious authority telling you should or should not fast. Sorry for the long rant. In short ask people who know i.e. go see a doctor for this answer. And if you can ask, ask more than one obstetrician.

**saihah** · 07-07-2012, 01:50 AM

brother.

for your reply. I agree with you. I am a medical professional myself and I have consulted with my obstetrician too. Like I mentioned before there is no medical problem that will directly affect my pregnancy if I fast. As far as I know there are no conclusive studies that say fasting is detrimental to the baby, and my question is actually directed towards a religious opinion rather than medical.

Maybe I should rephrase my question... Is "feeling very hungry" during pregnancy a valid reason to not fast?

for your time and help.

**abdulwahhab** · 07-07-2012, 02:03 AM

It is only a valid reason if this feeling of hunger is overwhelming and leads to extreme symptoms of hypoglycemia such as blackouts and fainting, which would themselves classify as sickness. It would be better if you post this in the Hanafi fiqh thread since Mufti Abu Hajira answers there more frequently and it is easier for him to locate threads there.

**saihah** · 07-07-2012, 02:09 AM

brother for your reply. I see what you are saying. InshaAllah I will post there too.

may Allah swt make it easy for us all.

**saihah** · 07-07-2012, 02:14 AM

Hope everybody is doing well inshaAllah.

I am 3 and half months pregnant Alhamdulillah and by the time Ramadan starts I will be 4 inshaAllah. I don't have any vomiting or any severe symptoms as such by the mercy of Allah swt but I feel hungry all the time. Within 3-4 hours of eating I start getting severe hunger cramps so much so that I lose all my strength and feel nauseus and giddy.

I have consulted with my Obstetrician and she says it's upto me. I do not have any medical probelm that would directly harm my pregnancy. My only problem is I get extremely hungry within hours of eating, stomach starts growling and I get severe hunger pangs.
My question is .. If there is no direct medical harm to the pregnancy as such, does extreme hunger count as a valid reason to not fast?

I have not missed ramadan fasts in the past and it does not feel right to miss them now, but I feel I do not have the strength, I am tired all the time because I get so hungry so often.

I would greatly appreciate any help and advice on this inshaAllah.

may Allah swt accept our efforts, ameen.

PS: I had a miscarriage last year at 4 weeks. I have an abnormally shaped uterus that puts me at a higher risk for miscarriage and preterm birth, hence I have been adviced to rest as much as possible. I have high blood pressure, although I am not taking any medication for that, I am being monitored closely.

**Acacia** · 07-07-2012, 02:55 AM

Sister,

I see you are waiting for a scholar to answer. I will share what I found in Ascent To Felicity: A Manual On Islamic Creed and Hanafi Jurisprudence as I was searching for some other information on fasting:

Exemptions From Fasting
The following people are exempted from fasting in Ramadan:... A pregnant woman or nursing woman, with the condition for each that she have a legitimate fear [footnote 510] for the baby or for herself;...

The footnote reads:

510 For the sick person, pregnant woman, and nursing woman, the condition for permissibility of breaking the fast is not simply a delusion of potential harm, but rather a legitimate fear, recognized by the Sacred Law (shari'a). This entails either (1) past experience, even if of someone else with the same sickness; (2) an obvious sign of potential harm; or (3) an opinion of a qualified, Muslim physician who does not sin in public. The same would apply for a healthy person that has a legitimate fear, based on one of the above indications, of becoming ill (Tahtawi 2:355, Durr 2:116). Ibn 'Abidin adds that if one were to break the fast without one of the above indications, then he would have to perform expiation, while most people are unfortunately completely unaware of this ruling (Radd 2:116).

**saihah** · 07-07-2012, 03:15 AM

sister for your reply^. It is indeed very helpful. The footnote mentions past experience...I had a miscarriage last year at 4 weeks and I have an abnormally shaped uterus which puts me at a higher risk for miscarriage and preterm labor. But none of this is related to fasting. I guess I am a little too worried because it took us a while to conceive. maybe I should just put all my trust in Allah swt and make dua.

Alahmdulillah my pregnancy has been very easy so far except for the hunger. I have wake up at night to eat because I get so hungry. Apart from that I have no other problem. maybe I should try and fast and see how it goes and whether I can bear the hunger inshaAllah.

Please remember me your duas.