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My
young child insists on fasting despite his weak health
*Please appropriately reference
this fatwa to: www.fatwa-online.com, thankyou!*
Question: My young child insists on fasting
(during) Ramadhaan despite it harming him due to his young
age and weak health. So can I use harshness with him to break
his fast?
Response:
If he is young and has not attained puberty, then fasting
is not obligatory upon him. However, if he is capable of fasting
without hardship then he should be instructed to do so. The
sahaabah (radhi-yallaahu 'anhum) used to accustom their children
to fasting, such that when a young one from amongst them would
cry, they would distract him from his hunger by giving him
a toy. However, if it is established that fasting is harming
the child then he must be prevented from it; Just as Allaah
(Subhaanahu wa Ta'aala) has prohibited us (the parents) from
giving money to them for fear of misuse, then certainly the
fear of any harm upon them is more of a reason to prevent
them from fasting. However, preventing them should not be
through use of force and harshness, for certainly this is
not befitting in bringing them up.
Shaykh
Ibn 'Uthaymeen
Fataawa Ramadhaan - Volume 1, Page 237, Fatwa No.183
Fataawa Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen - Volume 1, Page 493
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