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29 March 2024

Elderly, children exempted from fasting

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By Staff

Elederly people and children who don’t have the energy to fast are exempted from fasting, an expert said while quoting a verse from the Holy Quran.

“Allah does not burden a person beyond his capacity,” said Dr Ahmed Fahad Al Jebawi, referring to verse 286 of Chapter Al Baqara in the Holy Quran, Khaleej Times reported.

A consultant Endocrinologist at Dubai Diabetes Centre and Chairman of the fellowship training programme at the Dubai Health Authority (DHA), Al Jebawi said that people with life-threatening ailments are also exempted, particularly when they are old.

“I had a patient whose eyes overflowed with tears when I told her that she was not obliged to fast during the month of Ramadan as she was a diabetic patient who had both heart and kidney disease. Fasting for her could have a negative impact on her health, therefore, as a doctor, I advised her not to,” he said. She argued that she couldn’t see other people taking the privilege of this holy month while she was eating and drinking.

According to Dr Jebawi, the elderly who have lost their strength are not obliged to fast. “If fasting is too difficult for them, it may subject them to health problems. When people age, their organ functions decline with more susceptibility to dehydration and biochemical changes. This is because their bodies have less water to begin with and their sense of thirst is impaired. When dehydrated, elderly people are more likely to experience dizziness or even faint or pass out.

This may cause significant injuries,” he explained.

Children who have not yet reached puberty are also not obliged to fast during this holy month.

“Children’s bodies are still developing and fasting could have a tremendously negative impact on their health,” he said. “Just like the elderly, children are more susceptible to dehydration.

They are intolerant to long periods of fasting; therefore, parents who encourage their children to fast should decrease the fasting period to only a minimal portion of the day.”

Dr Jebawi also said that Muslim women who are pregnant or breastfeeding are exempted from fasting during the holy month of Ramadan but are expected to compensate for the missed fasting days at a later time.

“Limited research has shown that short-term fasting has no effect on milk supply or infant growth. However, one study has showed that fasting can significantly decrease the amount of zinc, magnesium and potassium in breast milk, thus affecting the nutritional condition of the milk, which could affect the infant. These observations led many experts to agree that it would be prudent to excuse lactating women from fasting during Ramadan; of course each case should be evaluated individually,” he said.