FatwaFederal TerritoriesFasting
IRSYAD FATWA KHAS RAMADHAN SIRI KE-163: PADA UMUR BERAPAKAH ANAK-ANAK PERLU DIDIDIK BERPUASA
At what age should children be trained to fast?
Short answer
Children who have not reached puberty are not obliged to fast, but the fast of a child who has reached the age of discernment (mumayyiz) is valid.
A reference, not a fatwa. First sentence of the summary below — read the original fatwa and consult your state authority before acting.
- Authority
- Federal Territories Mufti Office
- Date
- Status
- Opinion (irsyad)
- Series
- Irsyad al-Hukum Edisi Ramadhan
- Topic
- Fasting
No evidence of gazettement in the source — this is not a gazetted fatwa.
Summary
Children who have not reached puberty are not obliged to fast, but the fast of a child who has reached the age of discernment (mumayyiz) is valid. Parents or guardians should instruct a child to fast from the age of seven, and discipline the child with a light, non-painful stroke at the age of ten if he or she refuses, by analogy with the hadith on training children to pray. They must ensure that fasting does not harm the child and must assess the child's capacity.
Written in our own words from the original fatwa — check the source before acting on it.
Tuntasnya kami nyatakan bahawa ibu bapa atau wali perlu mengajar dan menyuruh anak-anak supaya berpuasa seawal umur tujuh tahun, dan mendidik dengan pukulan yang ringan ketika dia berumur sepuluh tahun jika dia enggan.
Read the full fatwa on the Federal Territories website (new tab)
How to cite
Cite the original fatwa and its authority. Rujuk Fatwa is only where you found it.
Federal Territories Mufti Office. “IRSYAD FATWA KHAS RAMADHAN SIRI KE-163: PADA UMUR BERAPAKAH ANAK-ANAK PERLU DIDIDIK BERPUASA”, 25 April 2020. https://muftiwp.gov.my/ms/artikel/irsyad-hukum/edisi-ramadhan/4473-irsyad-fatwa-khas-ramadhan-siri-ke-163-pada-umur-berapakah-anak-anak-perlu-dididik-berpuasa. Found via Rujuk Fatwa: https://rujukfatwa.com/en/fatwa/age-to-train-children-to-fast/