The Ramadan Series: 12 o'clock Rule

Dear sisters,

Assalamoalaikum

I'm sure many of you have heard of and even abided by the 12 o'clock rule for Ramadan. It's quite prevalent among desi women. The rule states: If a woman gets her period after 12 p.m., she should continue her fast and she doesn't need to make up the fast for that day later.

The main problem with this rule is that it's MADE UP! There is NO evidence of such a rule in the Islamic Jurisprudence (it's not in the Quran and books of hadeeth). So if it didn't come from Islam, where did it come from? Perhaps from the very "intelligent" desies who thought they had the authority to make and edit Islamic rules... and Allah knows best.

The correct ruling is that as soon as a woman starts menstruating, her fast becomes invalid (even if it is a few minutes before sunset), and so, she needs to make up for that fast after Ramadan. To better understand, let's take the example of wudu. Wudu becomes invalid as soon as you break it. There is no such concept as "... but I broke it just 2 minutes ago, I can still pray"... you either have wudu or you don't. Similarly, fasting also becomes invalid as soon as a woman starts menstruating.

This is a quick reminder to think before you act. We are told to do many things under the label of "Islam" by our elders, but it's our job to investigate the authenticity of these matters. We have been brought up in an environment that is deeply influenced and often polluted by culture. So much so, that it's extremely difficult to untangle Islam from its innovated alternatives.

For generations, people have been following certain practices blindly without questioning... so when we (the curious generation) ask questions, we are either given the silent treatment for committing the "gunah-e-kabeera" of asking a question or told something like... "Bakwaas bund karo! humaray baap dada yahi karte aaye hain saloon se". Either way, we aren't given any answers. So it's best to ask people of knowledge who can answer our questions in the light of evidence from the Quran and sunnah.

The information I shared with you in this post was given in a course I attended called "The Month of Mercy" (offered by Al-Kauthar Institute) and it was taught by Sheikh Alaa Elsayed. I encourage all of you to further seek knowledge on this matter and shun the "12 o'clock rule" for good.

Sincerely,
D.M.