Ramadan in depth
Islamic Studies · Key Stage 2 · The School
Why fast at all
The Quran gives the reason directly: fasting is prescribed "so that you may be mindful of God" (2:183, Abdel Haleem) — the word behind it is TAQWA, a protective awareness of Allah. Hunger is the method, not the goal. The Prophet ﷺ said that some people who fast get nothing from their fast except hunger (Ibn Majah 1690; sahih, al-Albani). He also said that if someone does not give up false speech and evil actions, Allah has no need of their giving up food and drink (Bukhari 1903).
Who is excused
The Quran names the ill and travellers, who make up the days later. It also names people who can fast only with extreme difficulty, who feed a needy person (2:184–185). Egypt's Dar al-Ifta says that is one needy person for each missed day. Ibn Abbas said this group includes very old people (Bukhari 4505). Pregnant and nursing mothers and women during menstruation come from hadith and scholars' rulings. The schools differ on some details. Hanafi scholars say pregnant or nursing mothers only make up the days. Shafi'i and Hanbali scholars also add feeding a needy person if the fear is only for the child. Being excused is part of the rule, not a failure of it — the Quran says Allah intends ease for you, not hardship.
The night better than a thousand months
Laylat al-Qadr, in the last ten nights, is described in Surah Al-Qadr as better than a thousand months. Muslims look for it especially on the odd nights, staying up in prayer and du'a. The exact night is not named — which keeps the whole final stretch alive rather than one calendar date.
Imagine a man called Karim. This is an invented case with simple numbers. He gets flu on the 5th day of Ramadan. He is too ill to fast on the 5th, 6th and 7th days. That is three missed days. The Quran says an ill person makes up the lost days on other days later (2:185). On the 8th day Karim feels well and fasts again. When Ramadan ends, he counts what he missed. He owes three days, not the whole month. He fasts three other days later. Egypt's Dar al-Ifta says most scholars hold that he must do this before the next Ramadan. The Hanafi school sets no time limit. Either way, once all three days are done, every missed day is made up. A traveller who misses days also makes them up later (2:185).