There is a young lady who has reached the age of 12 or 13 and the blessed month of Ramadan passed her, but she did not fast it. Is there any sin upon her or her family? Should she fast, and if she does not fast is there any sin on her? A – The woman is considered having attained the age of capability under the following conditions: Islam, sanity and puberty. Puberty is attained by menstruation or a wet dream or the growth of coarse pubic hair around the sexual organ or reaching the age of 15. Therefore, this young lady, if she fulfills all the conditions of the age of capability, fasting is obligatory upon her and she must make up for the days that she did not fast during the period of her maturity. If one of the conditions is not present then she is not legally capable and there is no sin upon her. – Permanent Committee for Islamic Research and Verdicts; Fatawa Islamiyah, vol.2, pg. 242 Child insists on fasting Q- My young child insists on fasting (during) Ramadan, though he is young in age and weak in health. So can I be harsh with him to force him to break his fast? A – If he is young and has not attained puberty, then fasting is not obligatory upon him. However, if he is capable of fasting without hardship then he should be instructed to do so. The Companions used to accustom their children to fasting, such that when a young one would cry, they would distract him from his hunger by giving him a toy. If it is established that fasting is harming the child then he must be prevented from it, just as Allah has prohibited us (the parents) from giving money to them for fear of misuse, then certainly the fear of any harm coming to them is more of a reason to prevent them from fasting. However, force and harshness should not be used to prevent them from fasting. This is certainly not befitting in bringing them up. – Sheikh Bin Uthaymeen; Fatawa Ramadan, vol. 1, pg. 237 __
