Who does not have to fast in Ramadan?

The evidence

1. 1

   Quran Al-Baqara · 2:184

   The ill and the traveller make up the days; those able only with hardship give a ransom of feeding a poor person.

   أَيَّامࣰ ا مَّعۡدُودَٰتࣲۚ فَمَن كَانَ مِنكُم مَّرِيضًا أَوۡ عَلَىٰ سَفَرࣲ فَعِدَّةࣱ مِّنۡ أَيَّامٍ أُخَرَۚ وَعَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ يُطِيقُونَهُۥ فِدۡيَةࣱ طَعَامُ مِسۡكِينࣲۖ فَمَن تَطَوَّعَ خَيۡرࣰ ا فَهُوَ خَيۡرࣱ لَّهُۥۚ وَأَن تَصُومُواْ خَيۡرࣱ لَّكُمۡ إِن كُنتُمۡ تَعۡلَمُونَ ۝١٨٤

   [Fasting for] a limited number of days. So whoever among you is ill or on a journey [during them] - then an equal number of days [are to be made up]. And upon those who are able [to fast, but with hardship] - a ransom [as substitute] of feeding a poor person [each day]. And whoever volunteers excess - it is better for him. But to fast is best for you, if you only knew

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2. 2

   Quran Al-Baqara · 2:185

   The exemption is repeated, and Allah intends ease, not hardship.

   شَهۡرُ رَمَضَانَ ٱلَّذِيٓ أُنزِلَ فِيهِ ٱلۡقُرۡءَانُ هُدࣰ ى لِّلنَّاسِ وَبَيِّنَٰتࣲ مِّنَ ٱلۡهُدَىٰ وَٱلۡفُرۡقَانِۚ فَمَن شَهِدَ مِنكُمُ ٱلشَّهۡرَ فَلۡيَصُمۡهُۖ وَمَن كَانَ مَرِيضًا أَوۡ عَلَىٰ سَفَرࣲ فَعِدَّةࣱ مِّنۡ أَيَّامٍ أُخَرَۗ يُرِيدُ ٱللَّهُ بِكُمُ ٱلۡيُسۡرَ وَلَا يُرِيدُ بِكُمُ ٱلۡعُسۡرَ وَلِتُكۡمِلُواْ ٱلۡعِدَّةَ وَلِتُكَبِّرُواْ ٱللَّهَ عَلَىٰ مَا هَدَىٰكُمۡ وَلَعَلَّكُمۡ تَشۡكُرُونَ ۝١٨٥

   The month of Ramadhan [is that] in which was revealed the Qur'an, a guidance for the people and clear proofs of guidance and criterion. So whoever sights [the new moon of] the month, let him fast it; and whoever is ill or on a journey - then an equal number of other days. Allah intends for you ease and does not intend for you hardship and [wants] for you to complete the period and to glorify Allah for that [to] which He has guided you; and perhaps you will be grateful

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3. 3

   Hadith Sahih al-Bukhari 1943

   Sahih Bukhari

   A traveller may fast or not fast as he wishes.

   Narrated `Aisha:(the wife of the Prophet) Hamza bin `Amr Al-Aslami asked the Prophet, "Should I fast while traveling?" The Prophet (ﷺ) replied, "You may fast if you wish, and you may not fast if you wish

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   العربية

   حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ يُوسُفَ، أَخْبَرَنَا مَالِكٌ، عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ عُرْوَةَ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ ـ رضى الله عنها ـ زَوْجِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَنَّ حَمْزَةَ بْنَ عَمْرٍو الأَسْلَمِيَّ قَالَ لِلنَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَأَصُومُ فِي السَّفَرِ وَكَانَ كَثِيرَ الصِّيَامِ‏.‏ فَقَالَ ‏ "‏ إِنْ شِئْتَ فَصُمْ، وَإِنْ شِئْتَ فَأَفْطِرْ ‏"‏‏.‏

4. 4

   Hadith Sahih al-Bukhari 1946

   Sahih Bukhari

   Fasting on a journey is not righteousness when it overwhelms the traveller.

   Narrated Jabir bin `Abdullah:Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) was on a journey and saw a crowd of people, and a man was being shaded (by them). He asked, "What is the matter?" They said, "He (the man) is fasting." The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "It is not righteousness that you fast on a journey

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   العربية

   حَدَّثَنَا آدَمُ، حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ الأَنْصَارِيُّ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ مُحَمَّدَ بْنَ عَمْرِو بْنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ، عَنْ جَابِرِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ـ رضى الله عنهم ـ قَالَ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فِي سَفَرٍ، فَرَأَى زِحَامًا، وَرَجُلاً قَدْ ظُلِّلَ عَلَيْهِ، فَقَالَ ‏"‏ مَا هَذَا ‏"‏‏.‏ فَقَالُوا صَائِمٌ‏.‏ فَقَالَ ‏"‏ لَيْسَ مِنَ الْبِرِّ الصَّوْمُ فِي السَّفَرِ ‏"‏‏.‏

5. 5

   Hadith Sahih al-Bukhari 4505

   Sahih Bukhari

   Ibn Abbas said the ransom verse is for the very old who cannot fast; they feed a poor person daily.

   Narrated 'Ata:That he heard Ibn `Abbas reciting the Divine Verse:-- "And for those who can fast they had a choice to either fast, or feed a poor for every day.." (2.184) Ibn `Abbas said, "This Verse is not abrogated, but it is meant for old men and old women who have no strength to fast, so they should feed one poor person for each day of fasting (instead of fasting)

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   العربية

   حَدَّثَنِي إِسْحَاقُ، أَخْبَرَنَا رَوْحٌ، حَدَّثَنَا زَكَرِيَّاءُ بْنُ إِسْحَاقَ، حَدَّثَنَا عَمْرُو بْنُ دِينَارٍ، عَنْ عَطَاءٍ، سَمِعَ ابْنَ عَبَّاسٍ، يَقْرَأُ ‏{‏وَعَلَى الَّذِينَ يُطَوَّقُونَهُ فِدْيَةٌ طَعَامُ مِسْكِينٍ ‏}‏‏.‏ قَالَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ لَيْسَتْ بِمَنْسُوخَةٍ، هُوَ الشَّيْخُ الْكَبِيرُ وَالْمَرْأَةُ الْكَبِيرَةُ لاَ يَسْتَطِيعَانِ أَنْ يَصُومَا، فَلْيُطْعِمَانِ مَكَانَ كُلِّ يَوْمٍ مِسْكِينًا‏.‏

6. 6

   Hadith Sunan Abi Dawud 2408

   Hasan Sahih graded by Al-Albani

   Allah has lifted fasting from the traveller, the pregnant and the breastfeeding woman.

   Narrated Anas ibn Malik: A man from Banu Abdullah ibn Ka'b brethren of Banu Qushayr (not Anas ibn Malik, the well-known Companion), said: A contingent from the cavalry of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) raided us. I reached (for he said went) to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) who was taking his meals. He said: Sit down, and take some from this meal of ours. I said: I am fasting, he said: Sit down, I shall tell you about prayer and fasting. Allah has remitted half the prayer to a traveller, and fasting to the traveller, the woman who is suckling an infant and the woman who is pregnant, I swear by Allah, he mentioned both (i.e. suckling and pregnant women) or one of them. I was grieved for not taking the food of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)

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   العربية

   حَدَّثَنَا شَيْبَانُ بْنُ فَرُّوخَ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو هِلاَلٍ الرَّاسِبِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ سَوَادَةَ الْقُشَيْرِيُّ، عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ، - رَجُلٍ مِنْ بَنِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ كَعْبٍ إِخْوَةِ بَنِي قُشَيْرٍ - قَالَ أَغَارَتْ عَلَيْنَا خَيْلٌ لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَانْتَهَيْتُ - أَوْ قَالَ فَانْطَلَقْتُ - إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَهُوَ يَأْكُلُ فَقَالَ ‏"‏ اجْلِسْ فَأَصِبْ مِنْ طَعَامِنَا هَذَا ‏"‏ ‏.‏ فَقُلْتُ إِنِّي صَائِمٌ ‏.‏ قَالَ ‏"‏ اجْلِسْ أُحَدِّثْكَ عَنِ الصَّلاَةِ وَعَنِ الصِّيَامِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ تَعَالَى وَضَعَ شَطْرَ الصَّلاَةِ أَوْ نِصْفَ الصَّلاَةِ وَالصَّوْمَ عَنِ الْمُسَافِرِ وَعَنِ الْمُرْضِعِ أَوِ الْحُبْلَى ‏"‏ ‏.‏ وَاللَّهِ لَقَدْ قَالَهُمَا جَمِيعًا أَوْ أَحَدَهُمَا قَالَ فَتَلَهَّفَتْ نَفْسِي أَنْ لاَ أَكُونَ أَكَلْتُ مِنْ طَعَامِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏.‏

7. 7

   Hadith Sahih Muslim 335c

   Sahih Muslim

   Women make up the fasts missed during menstruation but not the prayers.

   Mu'adha said:I asked 'A'isha: What is the reason that a menstruating woman completes the fasts (that she abandons during her monthly course). but she does not complete the prayers? She (Hadrat 'A'isha) said: Are you a Haruriya? I said: I am not a Haruriya, but I simply want to inquire. She said: We passed through this (period of menstruation), and we were ordered to complete the fasts, but were not ordered to complete the prayers

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   العربية

   وَحَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ بْنُ حُمَيْدٍ، أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّزَّاقِ، أَخْبَرَنَا مَعْمَرٌ، عَنْ عَاصِمٍ، عَنْ مُعَاذَةَ، قَالَتْ سَأَلْتُ عَائِشَةَ فَقُلْتُ مَا بَالُ الْحَائِضِ تَقْضِي الصَّوْمَ وَلاَ تَقْضِي الصَّلاَةَ فَقَالَتْ أَحَرُورِيَّةٌ أَنْتِ قُلْتُ لَسْتُ بِحَرُورِيَّةٍ وَلَكِنِّي أَسْأَلُ ‏.‏ قَالَتْ كَانَ يُصِيبُنَا ذَلِكَ فَنُؤْمَرُ بِقَضَاءِ الصَّوْمِ وَلاَ نُؤْمَرُ بِقَضَاءِ الصَّلاَةِ ‏.‏

8. 8

   Hadith Sahih al-Bukhari 1950

   Sahih Bukhari

   Aishah made up missed Ramadan fasts as late as Sha'ban.

   Narrated `Aisha:Sometimes I missed some days of Ramadan, but could not fast in lieu of them except in the month of Sha'ban." Said Yahya, a sub-narrator, "She used to be busy serving the Prophet (ﷺ)

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   العربية

   حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ يُونُسَ، حَدَّثَنَا زُهَيْرٌ، حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى، عَنْ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ عَائِشَةَ ـ رضى الله عنها ـ تَقُولُ كَانَ يَكُونُ عَلَىَّ الصَّوْمُ مِنْ رَمَضَانَ، فَمَا أَسْتَطِيعُ أَنْ أَقْضِيَ إِلاَّ فِي شَعْبَانَ‏.‏ قَالَ يَحْيَى الشُّغْلُ مِنَ النَّبِيِّ أَوْ بِالنَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم‏.‏