Imam Laiq Ahmed Atif | Read this article in Maltese

When the month of Ramadan arrives, the parents of Muslim children become concerned whether their children should fast or not while them are attending the school; similarly, the teachers are also not sure what to do in such cases and how to deal with the Muslim students during the Ramadan.

Every Islamic commandment is based on profound wisdom and rationality. The five daily prayers – the second amongst the five pillars of Islam – become obligatory at the age of ten. However, even before it becomes obligatory, proper training and education for children is not only necessary but mandatory; and a three year proper training is therefore recommended. It is for this reason that the Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace be on him, has said that children should be urged to offer Prayer (Salat) when they are seven years old, and when they reach the age of ten, the parents can, if necessary, use strict measures to make them regular in Prayers.

Fasting is the third amongst the five pillars of Islam. Thus it cannot become obligatory before the age of ten. However, there is also need some proper training before it becomes obligatory, as in the case of daily Prayers (Salat).

Once an Ahmadi girl asked this question to His Holiness, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad^aba, the Spiritual Head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community; he replied:

“Fasting becomes compulsory upon you when you have fully matured. If you are a student and you are sitting your exams and you are 13, 14 or 15 years of age, then you should not fast. If you are able to bear them, then fasting at the age of 15 or 16 is also fine.

“However, usually it is at the age of 17 or 18 that fasting becomes compulsory. One should definitely start fasting thereafter. If you are really fond of it, you can try out one, two, three or four fasts at the age of eight or ten. However, that would not be compulsory.

“Fasting will become compulsory upon you when you grow older and are able to endure the fasts… The endurance will come once you have become a young adult. When you reach the age of at least 17 or 18 years, then it is okay to fast. Then, you should fast. Understood?

“What do your parents say? Do they say that fasting has become compulsory upon you at the age of ten? Anyhow, you should inculcate the habit. Younger children should also keep two or three fasts every Ramadan so that they can experience the arrival of Ramadan. However, even if you decide not to fast, then, wake up in the morning and eat sehri [early morning food] along with your parents, offer nawafil [voluntary prayers] and offer the [obligatory] Prayers regularly.

“Ramadan for students and girls like you is that you should definitely wake up during Ramadan, eat sehri, make all the arrangements, offer two or four nawafil before that, offer the [obligatory] Prayers regularly and recite the Holy Quran regularly.” (Al Hakam)

This is very comprehensive guideline for the children, parents and teachers. Children at an early age should not fast because it could affect their growth. Allah says in the Holy Quran that, “Allah desires ease for you and desires not hardship for you (2:186).”

However, teenagers are encouraged to fast and to make a habit of their upcoming responsibility. Teenagers when they are strong enough should fast regularly in the month of Ramadan. Meaning, from the age of 13 to 16 they should train themselves and inculcate a habit of fasting by fasting for a few days during the Ramadan, until they become 17 or 18 and then they should fast for the whole month.