Hawzah News Agency – Q: A young girl has reached the age of shar‘ī puberty. However; she cannot fast in the month of Ramadan due to her weak constitution. She is also unable to perform the qaḍā’ of the missed days of fasting until the next Ramadan. What is the ruling in this situation?

A: The obligation of fasting or performing the qaḍā’ for the missed fasts is not removed just because of weakness. Rather, the qaḍā’ of the missed days of fasting in Ramadan will remain obligatory for her.

Q: What is the ruling for those girls who have recently reached maturity and find it somewhat difficult to fast? Is nine years the age when girls become mature?

A: The legal age of maturity for girls start at the completion of nine lunar years, hence it is obligatory for them to fast. It is not permissible to forsake fasting due to some excuse. However, if fasting becomes harmful for them or involves unbearable hardship, it is permissible to break the fast.

Q: A nine-year old girl, upon whom it is obligatory to fast, breaks her fast because fasting is very hard for her. Does she have to perform the qaḍā’ of the fast?

A: Yes, she has to perform the qaḍā’ of the Ramadan fast that she broke.

Source: https://www.leader.ir/en/book/32/Practical-Laws-of-Islam