Ramadan Fasting Rules

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic Calendar, and it’s one of the most sacred months of the year for Muslims. In order to strengthen one’s bond with Allah (SWT) during this holy month, there are a number of Ramadan rules to follow. The most important rules of Ramadan relate to fasting, in which Muslims are required to refrain from drinking, eating, smoking, swearing, fighting, and intimacy during the daylight hours. Muslims are also encouraged to take part in acts of worship, including donating charity to a Ramadan Appeal.

Ramadan Rules for Beginners (Children)

Children aren’t required to partake in Ramadan fasting until they reach puberty. So, while there are no set fasting rules, Ramadan is the ideal time to introduce children to other customs and traditions of the month. This might include the following:

• Short fasts (e.g., skipping a snack or delaying lunch).
• Observing Suhoor and Iftar – Even if the child doesn’t fast for the entire day, they can still partake in the communal opening and breaking of the fast to help them understand the spirit of Ramadan and engage them with the community.
• Focusing on other practices (e.g., prayer, reading the Quran, acts of kindness, etc.)

Ramadan Rules for Females

The Ramadan fasting rules don’t differ too greatly for men and women; however, there are a handful of distinctions.

For instance, there are a number of situations in which someone will be exempt from fasting during Ramadan. Some of these situations are exclusive to women, including menstruation, pregnancy, and breastfeeding. While menstruating, women are not required to fast; however, if their period ends at night, they must take a ritual bath (ghusl) and fast the next day. If their period ends during the day, they should act like a fasting person until Maghrib; however, they’ll still need to make up the fast for that day.

When a woman is unable to fast for the above reasons, she should make up for the missed fasts another time of the year. If she is unable to (for example due to an ongoing illness), she can pay Fidya for each day of missed fasting, to feed a person. This equates to roughly £5 per missed day, as this is thought to be the cost to feed a hungry person for the day.

Ramadan Rules for Males

There aren’t any specific fasting rules for men during the month of Ramadan. Instead, men must follow the general rules, including the following:

• Refrain from drinking and eating during the daylight hours
• Refrain from smoking during the daylight hours
• Refrain from swearing, fighting, gossiping, and lying during the daylight hours
• Recite the five daily prayers plus Taraweeh
• Donate Zakat ul-Fitr at the end of the month (Fitrana)

Both men and women must follow the above rules during Ramadan unless they’re exempt from fasting. Aside from menstruation, pregnancy, and breastfeeding, other exemptions include young/old age, sickness, and travel. Should anyone experience these during the days of Ramadan, they can make up for their missed fasts another time or pay Fidya if they will be unable to keep them at a later time.

In the instance that a Muslim knowingly breaks their fast, they must fast for 60 continuous days or pay Kaffarah. This is considerably more expensive than Fidya at £300, which is the cost of feeding 60 people for a day. You can pay Fidya and Kaffarah donations with GRF.

Follow the Ramadan 2025 Rules with the Help of GRF

At the end of Ramadan, all self-supporting adult Muslims with food in excess of their needs are required to make their Zakat ul-Fitr (Fitrana) donation. Here at Global Rahmah Foundation, we accept your Fitrana donations to feed those experiencing hunger worldwide. Donate Fitrana today. For more information, get in touch with a member of our team and we'll be happy to help.