her child alone and not herself, she must make up the days she missed and feed one needy person for every day. If, however, the harm falls on her, it is enough for her simply to make up the fasts. This is because the pregnant and breastfeeding woman are both included in the general scope of the Almighty’s words: “And upon those who are able to fast but with hardship there is a ransom: feeding a needy person” (al-Baqarah 2:184).(1)

Al-Ḥāfiẓ Ibn Kathīr (d. 774 AH) writes in his Tafsīr (1|379): “Also falling under this meaning are the pregnant and the nursing woman when they fear for themselves or for their children.” End quote.

Shaykh al-Islām Ibn Taymiyyah (d. 728 AH) states: “If a pregnant woman fears for her fetus, she may break her fast, make up one day for each missed day, and feed one needy person for every day—one ratl of bread.” End quote. (25|318)

[Alerts]
1 – The mustaḥāḍah—that is, a woman who experiences bleeding that does not qualify as menstruation, as mentioned earlier—is required to fast and may not break the fast because of istiḥāḍah.

After citing the exemption for the menstruating woman, Shaykh al-Islām Ibn Taymiyyah said: “Istiḥāḍah, by contrast, can occur at any time; there is no specific period in which she is commanded not to fast, and completely avoiding it would be impossible…”