don't bite my head off please, but yes, I am fasting, Alhamdulillah. Well not today, I took a break, didn't want to push it, but I fasted Thursday, Friday and Saturday and I'll fast again tomorrow InshaAllah.
Anyway, few Islamic bits about fasting:
Fiqh us Sunnah
The fast of Ramadan, according to the Qur'an, sunnah and consensus, is obligatory.
The evidence from the Qur'an consists of the following two verses: "O you who believe, fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for the people before you in order for you to gain God consciousness, and, "...The month of Ramadan, during which the Qur'an was revealed, a guidance for mankind, and clear proofs of the guidance and the criterion; and whoever of you is resident, let him fast the month" [al-Baqarah 185].
From the sunnah we have the following statements of the Prophet: "Islam is built upon [the following] five pillars: testifying that there is no God except Allah and that Muhammad is His Messenger, the establishment of the prayer, the giving of zakah, the fast of Ramadan and the pilgrimage to Makkah." Talhah ibn 'Ubaidullah reported that a man came to the Prophet and said: "O Messenger of Allah, tell me what Allah requires of me as regards fasting." He answered, "The month of Ramadan." The man asked: "Is there any other [fast]?" The Prophet answered: "No, unless you do so voluntarily."
The whole Muslim nation agrees that the fast of Ramadan is obligatory. It is one of the pillars of Islam, and if one disputes this, he cannot be called a Muslim.
Also:
All scholars agree that fasting is obligatory upon every sane, adult, healthy Muslim male who is not traveling at that time. As for a woman, she must not be menstruating or having post-childbirth bleeding. People who are insane, minors, and those who are traveling, menstruating, or going through post-childbirth bleeding, and the elderly and breast-feeding or pregnant women do not need to observe the fast.
And:
Pregnant and breast-feeding women, if they fear for themselves or for the baby, can break the fast and pay the "ransom." They do not have to make up the days missed. Abu Dawud related from 'Ikrimah that Ibn 'Abbas said concerning the 'ayah "And for those who can fast [but do not],": "This is a concession for the elderly, as they can fast. They are to break the fast and feed one poor person a day. Pregnant or breast-feeding women, if they fear for the child, can do likewise." This is related by al-Bazzar. At the end of the report, there is the addition: "Ibn 'Abbas used to say to his wives who were pregnant: 'You are in the same situation as those who can fast [but do not]. You are to pay the "ransom" and do not have to make up the days later.' " Of its chain, ad-Daraqutni says it is sahih.
Nafi' reported that Ibn 'Umar was asked about a pregnant woman who feared for her unborn baby. He replied: "She is to break the fast and to feed one poor person a day one madd of barley."
There is also a hadith that states: "Allah has relieved the travelers of fasting and half of the prayer, and the pregnant and the breast-feeding women of the fast." According to the Hanafiyyah, Abu Ubaid, and Abu Thaur, such women are only to make up the missed days of fasting, and they are not supposed to feed one poor person a day. According to Ahmad and ash-Shaf'i, if such women fear only for the baby, they must pay the "ransom" and make up the days later. If they fear only for themselves or for themselves and the baby, then they are only to make up the missed days at a later date.
Ok, so pregnant and breastfeeding women do not need to fast. I decided to try it anyway. Actually, the way I saw it was - I won't be able to last even few hours, will probably go down with a terrible headache by midday. So that was the state of my mind on Thursday morning. I was waiting for that headache and I was surprised because it never came. In fact I felt better then ever! And I'm not talking only about my previous Ramadans, I'm talking about the past few weeks, when I was either tired, had a heartburn, was feeling sick, you name it. Well, that first day of fasting, the day when the fast is supposed to be the most difficult, none of those symptoms came. I felt great. So on Friday I fasted again. And felt great again. Saturday got bit tougher, we had a visitor and it was a hot day (in UK standards hot :-)). Then we were invited to a restaurant to break our fasts and I think I over ate. Woke up in the middle of the night with a stomach ache... So decided not to fast on Sunday, just in case this stomach ache was something else then just me being greedy on Saturday evening :-).
And now I feel ok again. So I will fast tomorrow InshaAllah.
But I have a question: The fact that I feel well, does it mean the baby is well too? I mean, if the baby was in distress due to my fasting, it would surely let me know? I'm worried. I don't want to fast and put my baby in danger. So what do you think, should I fast as long as I feel well or should I stop fasting just because I don't know if it affect the baby in any way?
Let me know what you think. I'm 37 weeks now, btw. Alhamdulillah.
10 comments:
Assalamu aleikum
Mashaa Allah, this is the first time I'm visiting.
I'm 39 weeks pregnant and I'm fasting too. I've always fssted while pregnant and I don't think there is any harm on the baby as long as you feel ok and the baby's still kicking, bi'idhnillah.
Got dry lips today and my mum thought that maybe I should take a break...! Oh, come on! If I was to get veeery dizzy (more than usual) or start to faint a lot or get sick because of hunger, then I'd break the fast. But the fact is... I feel better fasting than not! Food makes me weak as it lowers my blood-pressure.
Just don't skip suhoor! I did that on a voluntary fast once, and it showed in my urine sample at the midwife's!!!
Assalamu alaikum
I have fasted two times whilst pregnant masha'allah - the first I was almost full time like you and felt absolutely FINE. The second time I had just fell pregnant and it almost killed me.
I think the presence of the placenta is a big deciding factor here - when first pregnant the strain is fully on the mother's bloods supply but when there is a placenta the baby is fed from that. There is less pressure.
Believe me - if there was any problem with the baby you would definitely know about it - the first thing to be affected would be the blood pressure - and signs of stars flashing before your eyes or (like me) completely blinded by 'white outs' are indicators.
If you can do it then that means the baby is OK - the placenta is doing the work for baby.
Breaking a fast for the sake of the baby alone incurs a dhumm.
I have fasted at your stage and there was absolutely no harm.
Do what you can.
Masalama
xx
assaalaamu alaikum
Likewise I have also fasted while pregnant successfully, cant fast this time round thugh as I have diabetes so I'm gonna have plenty of days to make up insha'allah...I think Qalballah has a good point, I have fasted late in pregnancy and also early on and it's definately harder earlier on in pregnancy...which is the opposite of what i heard one sheikh say a few days ago....MEN!!!!
Assalamu alaikum,
Kate - does it mean you are pregnant too? Or is it just "normal" diabetes, not the pregnancy one.
Bizziweahm - you said not to skip suhoor. I'm quite tempted to skip it now 'coz every day after suhoor I get terrible heartburn. I cannot go back to bed for at least an hour after I ate. Yesterday I had to break my fast early because of that horrible, horrible heartburn. But I guess it's better to stay up for an hour to avoid it then to skip eating alltogether, right?
Btw, midwife checked my urine today and I had some sugar there (first time during the pregnancy - even the blood tests were ok every time). You think it had anything to do with fasting? I didn't tell her I'm fasting. Then again, I did have 2 toasts with jam for suhoor, so maybe that's what caused it, right?
salaam
yes i am..about 9 weeks...make dua for me insha'alah
fiamanillah
kate xx
Assalamu aleikum
My advice would be to read up on what foods that may cause heartburn (I think white bread does). SubhaanAllah, I had heartburn this morning...hmm.
Drink a few sips of milk the last thing you do and keep your head high when sleeping. Also, don't eat too much or too fast(wake up about an hour before Fajr, that ought to give you enough time to eat slow and steady, so the body can digest the food properly, inshaa Allah)
I don't know what the midwife saw in my urine that time, she just burst out "haven't you had any breakfast today!!?"
Found this:
http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/ate/diabetes/202730.html
Assalam aylekoum Sisters,
I am visiting your blog for the first time as I was looking for information about baby listenning to Quran whilst in the womb. Well, it went well, I put the earplugs around my belly button on a high volume and put Ayat el Kursi. The baby reacted by kicking straight away. I am going to repeat this everyday and hope it will work in calming him down when he cries.
Anyway, about fasting. I started this blessed month with fasting and believe it or not, it was like easier than when I was not pregnant (this is my first baby). I felt so good, energetic, not sleepy after lunch at work. Except the heartburns, they were just strong horrible ones. So I did fast for three days feeling great but on the fourth day, the baby stop kicking and moving (although the routine is that I feel him move several times a day every day). i did not worry too much at first but passed 36 hours, I thought I may have hurt the baby by observing the fast. So I rushed to A and R where they checked the baby heartbeat and everything . He was fine Alhamdullillah but probably in distress for not getting any fluid. There I drank plenty of fluids and as soon as my body absorbed the water, the baby started to move again. In my case the doctor said there is no problem in not eating (I have reserve so does the baby) but not having any fluids in my body is really not ideal at my stage of pregnancy (5 months). Unfortunately, our bodies don;t keep water, this is why you can be dehydrated as early as 2 days without water ( I am thinking about our poor bros and sis around the world who cannot provide clean water to their family). Water is crucial during pregnancy and is not stored by the body.
This was enough for stopping me from fasting. It does seem that it is just enough to think you are putting the baby at risk, or yourself. Who knows if the baby is at risk anyway? I mean, who knew at the time they had no doppler, no scan, no doctors to check the baby's health?
So I have decided to do various good deeds such as sponsoring families in need, orphans, sending money back in my original country and learn surahs as much as I can.
There is a saying that the fact that Allah the most High who has given us this permission not to fast is actually as if somebody has given you a gift, and you refuse it.
God knows best what is better for us. I have acted according to my heart, not my stomach or what the doctors said Inshallah. And I am planning to make up for the days, as there is dispute on this among scholars.
I hope my experience is of any use to sisters out there and for those who are fasting, Mashallah, I respect your decision and I believe you have also followed your heart, which is best.
Wassalam and duas for all, Ramadan Mubarak!
Amele
Assalamu alaikum Amele,
thank you so much for your comment. To fast or not to fast, that's the question :) I stopped fasting recently as well, I still felt very good while fasting but my energy levels were non-existent. I was simply surviving each day with no strenght to do anything else at all.
So as of last Sunday, I'm not fasting. I feel litle bit better, not much, I guess it has got a lot to do with the fact I'm 39 weeks now and the body has enough to deal with without me fasting.
But the truth is this fasting was by far the best fasting I've ever done, SubhanaAllah. I know that it will be much harder while breastfeeding, but well, I'll do my best anyway, InshaAllah.
So thank you once again for your words and come back again :) Good luck with your pregnancy, InshaAllah you'll feel well till the very end and you'll have an easy labour.
Wasalaam
Z.
i tried fasting when i was almost due ,i almost had the baby. i went to the er, i got married during ramadan. i had four pregnacy's during ramadan. icouldn't do it . i was very anemic. but ALHAMDULLILA i finally fasted this year. but my husband doesnt, y i don't know y he doesnt do good as a muslim should. how can i help him?
Post a Comment