Intro
In Islam, fasting is mandatory for boys and girls as soon as they hit puberty. Girls get other exemptions all the time, based on biology, however, young boys don’t have many exemptions from fasting and obviously, the elderly and sick have many exemptions.
Nevertheless, Mirza Ghulam Ahmad never fasted during #Ramadhan and thus we can’t find his comments on what age should boys and girls begin fasting. We surmise that his wife (Nusrat Jehan) told a half-truth, she knew that MGA never fasted as a result of his diabetes and many ailments. She did confess that MGA broke many fasts after attempting.
In this video, Mirza Masroor Ahmad alleges that MGA’s son, Mirza Basheer ud Din Mahmud began fasting at puberty (age-12)(roughly 1901), and per the order of MGA, the clip is on tik tok and twitter. We do have the statement of Mirza Masroor Ahmad, wherein he says that only kids aged 17-18 should be fasting by the Ahmadiyya Sharia (implied). Qasim Rashid also said that fasting should only be by 17-18 years olds.
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At what age should one start observing compulsory fasting? (alislam.org)
At what age should one start observing compulsory fasting?
During the same Gulshan-e-Waqf-e-Nau programme, which was recorded on 12 October 2013 in Australia, another girl asked Huzoor(aba) concerning the age at which they should start fasting during Ramadan.
In reply to this question, Huzoor(aba) said:
“Fasting becomes compulsory upon you when you have fully matured. If you are a student and you are sitting for your exams and you are 13, 14 or 15 years of age, then you should not fast. If you are able to bear them, then fasting at the age of 15 or 16 is also fine.
“However, usually it is at the age of 17 or 18 that fasting becomes compulsory. One should definitely start fasting thereafter. If you are really fond of it, you can try out one, two, three or four fasts at the age of eight or ten. However, that would not be compulsory.
“Fasting will become compulsory upon you when you grow older and are able to endure the fasts. What is the time difference in the various seasons here [in Australia]? How many hours of daylight do you get? What is the duration between sehri and iftari? 12 hours? And how long is it during summer? Do you fast for 19 hours? Yes, so you cannot stay hungry for 19 hours.
“During the last summer, the fasts in the UK were longer and your fasts were shorter. There, we had 18½-hour fasts. In countries such as Sweden etc., they have 22-hour fasts. Anyway, we have to readjust the timings because one cannot fast for that long. However, the endurance will come once you have become a young adult.
“When you reach the age of at least 17 or 18 years, then it is okay to fast. Then, you should fast. Understood?
“What do your parents say? Do they say that fasting has become compulsory upon you at the age of ten? Anyhow, you should inculcate the habit. Younger children should also keep two or three fasts every Ramadan so that they can experience the arrival of Ramadan. However, even if you decide not to fast, then wake up in the morning and eat sehri along with your parents, offer nawafil [voluntary prayers] and offer the [obligatory] prayers regularly.
“Ramadan for students and girls like you is that you should definitely wake up during Ramadan, eat sehri, make all the arrangements, offer two or four nawafil before that, offer the [obligatory] prayers regularly and recite the Holy Quran regularly.”
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What age should children be made to fast? | by Salaf and Scholars (ummiandkids.com)
WHAT AGE SHOULD CHILDREN BE MADE TO FAST?
Ramadan is approaching and you’re wondering whether your kid is ready to finally try fasting this year. But really, when is the right age for children to be made to fast? Most importantly, what did the prophet (salallahu alaihi wasalam) teach his companions when it comes to this issue?
PREVENTING THE KIDS TO FAST OUT OF MERCY
Some parents prevent their children from fasting out of pity and mercy for them when in reality, their kids are capable enough to fast with just a little encouragement.
Shaykh Uthaymeen, a prominent scholar of our time has said with regards to this, “The reality is that mercy for one’s children is in ordering them to practice the rites of Islam and to grow accustomed and attached to them. This without a doubt is from the best and most complete forms of raising and cultivating one’s children.”
(48 Su’aalan fis-Siyaam, source)
Thus, we should try our best to train our kids to fast as we will see later in a hadith, that this was also from the way the companions taught their children. However, it is important to note that the Shaykh also mentioned that we should not let them fast if it causes them difficulty or harm.
ENSURING THAT THEY ARE PHYSICALLY READY TO FAST
Scholars such as ‘Ata’, al-Hassan, Ibn Sireen, al-Zuhri, Qatadah and ash-Shaafa’i are in the view that children should be told to fast when they are able to do it.
Al-Awzaa’i also said, “ If he is able to fast for three consecutive days without interruption and without becoming weak, then he should be made to fast Ramadan.”
(Source)
AT THE AGE OF 10
Other scholars have mentioned the age of 10 for children to be made to fast, with reference to the hadith of commanding the children to pray as quoted below. The reason being, both are from the physical acts of worship that are also from the pillars of Islam.
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said,
“Command your children to pray when they become seven years old, and beat them for it (prayer) when they become ten years old; and arrange their beds (to sleep) separately.”
[Sunan Abi Dawud 495, Graded Hassan Sahih by Al-Albani, source]
GETTING CHILDREN USED TO FASTING AT A YOUNG AGE
Let’s take it that we should ask our children to fast at the age of 10. So what happens before that? Do we just let them be and expect our children to fast by the time they are ten and if somehow they are not able to do it, we simply punish them? Of course not.
Rather, as mentioned before, the scholars such as Imam Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani have recommended training our kids to fast before they reach the age of puberty so that they will be accustomed to it by the time they are older. This is based on the actions of the companions of the prophet (salallahu alaihi wasalam) where they strive to train their kids to fast at a young age as in the hadith below:
Khalid b. Dhakwan reported: I asked Rubayyi’ daughter of Mu’awwidh about fasting on the day of ‘Ashura. Thereupon she said: The Messenger of Allah (may peace he upon him) sent his messenger to the villages of the Ansar, and the rest of the hadith is the same (but with this variation that one of the Companions) said:” We used to make toys out of wool and took (them to the mosque) along with us. When they (the children) asked us for food, we gave them these toys to play with, and these made them forgetful till they completed their fast.”
[Sahih Muslim 1136 b, source]
Therefore, before the age of ten is the period where we train and motivate them to begin fasting. Find out how to get your child ready for fasting in the post below.
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Links and Related Essay’s
Mirza Ghulam Ahmad never fasted during #Ramadhan, #virtualramadhan – ahmadiyyafactcheckblog
At what age should one start observing compulsory fasting? (alislam.org)
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#ahmadiyya #ahmadiyyafactcheckblog #messiahhascome #ahmadiyyat #trueislam #ahmadianswers #mirzaghulamahmad #qadiani #qadianism
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