Several different groups are excused from fasting during Ramadan: pregnant women, people who are mentally or physically ill, and sometimes women who are breastfeeding. Children are not obligated to fast until they hit puberty, although many choose to observe the fast at least part of the month in preparation for later years.
With Ramadan now coming in the hottest months of the year – Baghdad declared Aug. 1 a public holiday because of the 120-degree-plus temperatures and lack of electricity for air conditioning – other exceptions have been made for the safety of those fasting.
Last year, a religious body in the United Arab Emirates issued a fatwa, allowing workers to break the fast if they needed to. Similar religious proclamations are likely to come down this year, with some Muslims facing days that begin at 4 a.m. and don’t end until after 8 p.m., depending on how far north they live.
