Womens Issues Made Simple

Fasting Related Issues

Fasting and Istihadha

A woman can fast in Istihadha as long as she follows the guidelines for prayers laid down in the istihadha section, as per the rulings of Imam Khomeini.

Note: As per Ayatullah Seestani if a woman does not take the ghusls for any state of Istihadha their fasts are valid, but she does have to perform ghusls for her salats if needed as per the rulings laid down in the istihadha section.

Fasting and Haidh

If haidh or nifas of a woman stopped and due to various reasons she did not take her Ritual Bath (Ghusl) and the time for morning Adhaan passed, in this case there are two possibilities depending upon whether it was done forgetfully or it was done deliberately.

If forgetfully:

If she genuinely forgot to perform ghusl, then her fast is okay, as long as she performs ghusl whenever she remembers. Suppose she remembers 2 days later, it is still okay as long as she performs a ghusl soon after remembering. The fasts that she has done are all valid.

After Adhaan one realizes that her haidh stopped before Adhaan. In this case her fast is valid, as long as she performs ghusl soon after remembering.

Haidh of this woman stopped just before Adhaan so she did not have time to do ghusl or tayammum. In this case her fast is still valid, as long as she takes a ghusl soon.

If deliberately:

If a woman deliberately does not perform ghusl (before the morning adhaan) then her fast of Ramadhan or Qadha Fasts of Ramadhan is void. One may ask, how can someone deliberately not perform ghusl?

There are people who procrastinate things. Sometimes because of laziness one may deliberately put off performing ghusl.

If a woman deliberately does not perform ghusl before the morning Adhaan, for fasts like: Fast of oath, some other obligatory fasts or recommended fasts, it is okay, as long as she peforms the ghusl soon.

Two very important points to remember regarding haidh and fasting:
A woman in haidh cannot fast in Ramadhan, but she must make up for the fasts she missed due to haidh. She should make up the fasts missed due to haidh with an intention of ‘Qadha’.
If a woman sees blood of haidh, even a few seconds before Adhaan of Maghrib, her fast is void and is not counted, and she must make Qadha for it.

Ramadhan and Janabat

In the month of Ramadhan, if a woman is Junub (a woman becomes junub due to sexual intercourse, or when she ejaculates) and the time for morning Adhaan arrives, in this case there are two possibilities depending upon whether it was done forgetfully or it was done deliberately.

If forgetfully:

This woman had the intention of getting up early to take the Ritual Bath for Janabat but got up after the morning Adhaan. Since this woman had the intention to take a bath before Adhaan but woke up late, her fast is okay.

This junub (a woman who is in a state after sex before performing the ritual bath) knew that she had to take a ritual bath before Adhaan. She woke up once or twice but did not perform the ritual bath (for different reasons like laziness etc) and went back to sleep. In this case her fast is void.
If a woman forgets to perform the ritual bath for Janabat, her fast is void.

If a woman kept on procrastinating until there was no time left for Ritual Bath or Tayammum (Ablution without water) then her fast is void.

This woman kept on procrastinating until there was no time left for Ritual bath so she should do Tayammum (Ablution without water) instead of Ritual bath. Once she does Tayammum she should make an intention (Niyyah) of fast and later perform ghusl otherwise her fast is void.

If deliberately:

If a woman deliberately does not take Ritual bath for Janabat, then her fast of Ramadhan or Qadha Fasts of Ramadhan are void. One may ask, how can someone deliberately not perform ghusl?

There are people who procrastinate things. Sometimes because of laziness one may deliberately put off performing ghusl.

If one deliberately does not perform ghusl before the morning Adhaan, for fasts like: Fast of oath, some other obligatory fasts or recommended fasts, it is okay, as long as she performs the ghusl soon.