1) The sick
If fasting will harm you or delay recovery, you can skip fasting.
Make up the missed days later when well.
Source: Qur’an 2:184–185.
2) Travellers
If you are on a journey (travel), you may not fast.
Make up the missed days later.
Source: Qur’an 2:184–185.
3) Women on menstruation (hayd) or post-natal bleeding (nifās)
They must not fast in that state.
They make up the missed days later.
Source: Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim (Aishah (ra) explains menstruating women made up fasts but not prayers).
4) Pregnant or breastfeeding women (if there is harm/fear of harm)
If fasting is likely to harm the mother or the baby, she may skip fasting.
Usually make up the days later.
5) The elderly or chronically ill (no realistic ability to fast)
If someone cannot fast at all (or only with serious harm), they do not make up.
Instead they give fidyah: feeding a poor person for each missed day.
Source: Qur’an 2:184.
6) Children (not yet reached puberty)
Fasting is not obligatory for them (though they may practice gradually).
They are not sinful for not fasting.
Source: Hadith: “The pen is lifted…” (accountability not applied until puberty/sanity).
7) Someone who would be seriously harmed by fasting
If fasting would cause real danger (e.g., medical risk), they should not fast.
Source: Qur’an 2:185 (“Allah intends for you ease…”) and the general rule of removing harm in Islamic law.
Sickness (when fasting causes harm or delays recovery).
“but if any of you is ill or on a journey, the same number (should be made up) from other days.” [al-Baqarah 2:184]
Travel.
This concession of traveling is cancelled by two things:
Severe hunger or thirst (when there is real risk of harm).
If someone is hit by extreme hunger or unbearable thirst, they should break the fast only enough to remove the danger. Then they should stop eating again for the rest of the day, and make up that day later.
Scholars also mention similar cases, like when a person reasonably fears dangerous weakness in a life-threatening situation—for example, fighting an enemy, expecting an attack, or being surrounded. If someone is not travelling, but is almost certain (or strongly expects) that fighting will happen and fasting will make them too weak to defend themselves, then they may break the fast before the fighting to prevent harm, and make up the day later.
Compulsion (being forced).
Compulsion means one person forcing another to do something or not to do something against his will, by means of threats.
If Ramadan arrives and someone cannot fast because they are elderly or chronically ill with no hope of recovery, then fasting is not required for them. Instead, they should feed one poor person for each missed day.
They can do this in either of these ways:
Give a poor person half a sā‘ of staple food (such as rice), which is roughly about 1.5 kg, for each day, or
Prepare a meal and invite poor people to eat.
Temporary illness (expected to recover):
You may skip fasting and then make up the same number of days later, once you’re well. (Qur’an 2:184)
Chronic illness (no hope of recovery):
You do not have to fast. Instead, you feed one poor person for each missed day. (Qur’an 2:184)
“And as for those who can fast with difficulty, (e.g. an old man), they have (a choice either to fast or) to feed a poor person (for every day).” [Al-Baqarah 2:184]”
Many charities let you pay your fidya before Ramadan begins, and they will distribute food to the poor on your behalf.
Dhikr: SubhanAllah, Alhamdulillah, Allahu Akbar, La ilaha illAllah
Istighfar and tawbah
Du‘a (especially before Maghrib and in the last third of the night)
Salawat on the Prophet ﷺ
Qur’an: listening to recitation, reflecting, reading tafsir, attending reminders
Charity (sadaqah) daily, even small
Feeding others / helping with iftar (at home or in the masjid)
Good character: patience, avoiding arguments, forgiving people, keeping ties of kinship
Volunteer at a food bank or soup kitchen
Help with Ramadan iftar distribution at the mosque
Support the elderly, the sick, or lonely neighbours (shopping, meals, check-ins)
Help families quietly: baby supplies, transport, school needs
Fundraise for humanitarian causes with honesty and transparency
Dawah with good manners: share simple Islamic reminders, answer questions politely, invite people to open days
Tackle Islamophobia (peaceful + practical):
support victims, signpost to reporting channels, community solidarity
organise education sessions, school/community workshops, interfaith/community dialogue (with adab)
Civic engagement (lawful and respectful):
write to MPs/councillors about humanitarian issues and community safety
attend local meetings, submit consultations, support policy changes that protect communities
Strengthen Muslim institutions:
help the mosque become more proactive: youth programmes, women’s support, mental health signposting, safeguarding, food pantry, outreach
volunteer for communications, fundraising, event organising, media responses, community partnerships
Build skills for long-term impact:
public speaking, writing, media training, community organising, conflict resolution
Keep it sincere, lawful, and non-harmful: no aggression, no harassment, no spreading rumours—just principled service, truthful speech, and excellent character.