Question: Is fasting obligatory for individuals with mental health conditions?
Answer:
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ، الْـحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ، وَالصَّلَاةُ وَالسَّلَامُ عَلَى أَشْرَفِ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ وَالْمُرْسَلِينَ، نَبِيِّنَا مُحَمَّدٍ، وَعَلَى آلِهِ وَصَحْبِهِ أَجْمَعِينَ، وَمَنْ تَبِعَهُمْ بِإِحْسَانٍ إِلَى يَوْمِ الدِّينِ.
Fasting in the month of Ramaḍān is an individual obligation (farḍ ʿayn) upon every accountable Muslim. Accountability (taklīf) in Sharīʿah is established through three conditions: Islām, sanity (ʿaql), and physical/mature capability (bulūgh and qudrah).
Allah says:
﴿ فَمَن شَهِدَ مِنكُمُ الشَّهْرَ فَلْيَصُمْهُ ﴾
“So whoever among you witnesses the month, let him fast it…” (Sūrat al-Baqarah: 185)
All four madhāhib agree that fasting is not obligatory upon one who is mentally incapable of understanding obligations due to permanent or severe mental illness. Such individuals are considered legally non-accountable (ghayr mukallaf), and no religious duty is required of them.
However, if the mental health condition is temporary or manageable, such as cases of depression, anxiety, or bipolar disorder, and the person is aware and rational during the fasting hours, then the obligation of fasting remains.
If the fast causes clear and significant harm to the person’s mental well-being, or if advised by a reliable Muslim medical expert that fasting would worsen the condition, the person may refrain from fasting and make up the missed days later, similar to the ruling for physical illness. This falls under the legal maxim: “Harm is to be avoided” and “Difficulty brings about ease.”
If the condition is chronic and there is no hope of recovery, such that the person is permanently unable to fast, then fidyah (feeding a poor person for each missed day) becomes the alternative, as allowed in the Ḥanafī, Mālikī, and some Ḥanbalī views.
Therefore, fasting is not obligatory for those with severe or permanent mental incapacity. For those with manageable conditions, fasting remains required unless real harm is expected. In that case, delay or fidyah applies according to one’s situation.
وَاللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ.