RAMADAN FOR ONLY WOMEN: WOMEN ISSUES IN THE MONTH OF RAMADAN. (PART 1)

WHEN A WOMAN MUST START TO FAST IN ISLAM?
IN WHAT SITUATIONS IS SHE EXEMPTED FROM FASTING?
MENSTRUATIONS AND PREGNANCY IN RAMADAN. WHAT A WOMAN MUST DO?

As a follow up to my series of messages on fasting in Ramadan and its related issues. I am in this and in the coming series going to talk about women issues in the month of Ramadan. The laws, provisions and prohibitions on women in Ramadan.

Please, take your time and read them carefully. Women issues and are very difficult when in Islam and its ritual. We only try our best to explain some of them to you.

Women and men are equal in Islam and are equally rewarded in any IBADAT. The Holy Quran says:

“فَٱسۡتَجَابَ لَهُمۡ رَبُّهُمۡ أَنِّى لَآ أُضِيعُ عَمَلَ عَـٰمِلٍ۬ مِّنكُم مِّن ذَكَرٍ أَوۡ أُنثَىٰ‌ۖ بَعۡضُكُم مِّنۢ بَعۡضٍ۬”

And their LORD answered their SUPPLICATIONS, never shall I render useless the deeds of you, male or female your one member from one another (3:195)

Fasting or to fast is one of the 5 pillars or principles of Islam. Islam in its obligations and rewards does not differentiate between man and woman in all the IBADATS except where it relieves some demands on women due to some natural physical changes that occur to them sometimes. Aside that, a female and a male are both equal in the face Islam.

THE Holy Quran again: “وَٱلصَّـٰٓٮِٕمِينَ وَٱلصَّـٰٓٮِٕمَـٰتِ”
And the fasting men and fasting women (33:35)

These are only to tell you that men and women are equal in all the “Ibadats” in Islam.

Now to the main topic about women issues and conditions in the month of Ramadan.

1. WHAT IS FASTING IN ISLAM? AND WHO MUST FAST?

Fasting is defined as, the abstinence of food, drinks, sex and vulgar speeches from the sun rise to the sun set with “NIYAT” or intentions, every night in the month of RAMADAN. Fasting in the Ramadan, is an obligation on every Muslim or Muslimat who attained the age of adulthood (puberty), sane (MENTALLY FIT), resident (not a Traveler) and capable. (Free from sickness or menses).

2. HOW DO WE DETERMINE IF A GIRL HAS REACHED ADULTHOOOD (PUBERTY) IN ISLAM?

Islam is a RELIGION of rules and regulations. You cannot just do things as you want to. Some rules and conditions must be met first.

A woman is considered an adult with one of the following occurs in her.

1. Attaining the age of 15years.
2. The appearance or the growing of rough and coarse hair around the vagina.
3. Whenever a known sperms (semen) is found in her (by dreams or other means)
4. And when she starts to get her menses or she becomes
Pregnant.

If any of these conditions are found in a girl she is considered an adult. Fasting in the month of RAMADAN and other IBADATS become compulsory on her. It is therefore incumbent on her parents to see that she behaves like any adult observing 5 times daily prayers, fasting and other “IBAADAT”. And whenever, a girl becomes an adult in the afternoon during the month of the RAMADAN, then she must start fasting in the remaining days of the month, but does not have to pay the past days before she became an adult in that month.

3. MENSTRUATION IN THE RAMADAN.

Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) said.

( "أليس إذا حاضت المرأة لم تصل ولم تصم ؟")

“Isn't it, when a (Woman) is in her menses she does not pray nor fast?”

A menstrual woman must not fast, nor pray at all. But she will pay the missed days in the RAMADAN but not the missing prayers. A menstrual woman and the one bleeding after childbirth are the same; the same rules apply to them. Whenever a menstrual woman finds that, she is no more bleeding there are 2 situations for her

1. If her cycle ends in the morning or day time, she cannot fast that day.

2. If she finds that she is clean or no more bleeding just before FAJRI prayers, she must quickly bath and start fasting from that day. Failure to do so will mean she is deliberately dodging fasting on that day. Which is HARAM on her. She can fast even she is not yet bath. Provided she is no more bleeding. The bathing can be done later.

5. VAGINAL ABNORMAL BLEEDING: what it is and what a woman should do in the RAMADAN?

In the Islamic studies we have something we called “DAMMUL ISTIHADA or دم الاستحا ضة” abnormal situation that occurs in some women, when vagina continue to discharge blood even when she is off menstrual period. When this happens to a woman in her usual menstruations circles, she should count her normal days which ranges between (3,5,or 7days) depending on the person, any additional day than her normal periods are considered abnormal that’s what we called ,
“DAMMUL ISTIHADA” or دم الاستحا ضة”)

Continue abnormal bleeding does not prevent a woman from fasting. She should bath in that condition and start praying and fasting. That is not a menstruations blood and must not prevent her from any “IBADAT” even to circumambulate or go around the KA’ABAH.

6. PREGNANCY AND THE MENSTRUATION PAINS AND SIGNS.

Whenever a pregnant woman sees blood coming from her vagina and she is fasting, she should continue with her fasting because that’s not a menstruation. But when a woman start to get her labor pangs or pains during pregnancy, or menstruations pains and there is no blood coming out from her till sun sets on that day, then her fasting is perfect and she must not repay that day.

A pregnant woman and a nursing mother, whenever they are not comfortable either because of their baby or themselves, they can stop fasting and pay those days later. No “KAFFARAT or ransom on them. But other scholars say that, a pregnant woman and a nursing money can stop fast and will not even pay for the days they missed. And they based their “Fatwa” on Hadith of RASULULLAH that says:

(قال نبي الله صلى الله عليه وسلم:« إِنَّ اللَّهَ تَعَالَى وَضَعَ عَنْ الْمُسَافِرِ الصَّوْمَ وَشَطْرَ الصَّلَاةِ، وَعَنْ الْحَامِلِ أَوْ الْمُرْضِعِ الصَّوْمَ» [أخرجه أهل السنن إلا أبا داود]، فإذا وضع الله ذلك فليس لأحد أن يلزمهما به قضاءً إلا بدليل.

ALLAH swt, has relieved fasting on the traveler and has permitted him to pray half of any SALAT on the road until he reaches his destination. The last part of the Hadith says:

وَعَنْ الْحَامِلِ أَوْ الْمُرْضِعِ الصَّوْمَ»
And ALLAH has relieved fasting on the pregnant and nursing mother.

That’s why some knowledgeable men from the Companions of RASULULLAH like (Ibn Umar and Ibn Abbass ) said, the pregnant and nursing mother can break their fasting and do not have to pay the missing days, because RASULULLAH said that. But she must feed the poor for each day she misses.

قال ابن عمر رضي الله عنه:"الحامل والمرضع تفطر ولا تقضي" [الدارقطني]، وقال:"تطعم مكان كل يوم مسكيناً[البيهقي]، وبذالك أفتى ابن عباس [أخرجه البيهقي]، ودين الله يسر.

What most scholars say is, the pregnant and nursing mother will pay the missing days and not “Kaffarat” on them.