Man Lā Yaḥḍuruh al-Faqīh

قَالَ اَلصَّادِقُ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ: «اَلصَّبِيُّ يُؤْخَذُ بِالصِّيَامِ إِذَا بَلَغَ تِسْعَ سِنِينَ عَلَى قَدْرِ مَا يُطِيقُهُ فَإِنْ أَطَاقَ إِلَى اَلظُّهْرِ أَوْ بَعْدَهُ صَامَ إِلَى ذَلِكَ اَلْوَقْتِ فَإِذَا غَلَبَ عَلَيْهِ اَلْجُوعُ أَوِ اَلْعَطَشُ أَفْطَرَ ».

Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (a.s) said: "A child is to be encouraged to fast when they reach nine years of age, according to their capacity. If they can fast until noon or a little beyond, they should do so. However, if hunger or thirst overwhelms them, they may break their fast."

وَ رَوَى عَنْهُ إِسْمَاعِيلُ بْنُ مُسْلِمٍ أَنَّهُ قَالَ: «إِذَا أَطَاقَ اَلْغُلاَمُ صَوْمَ ثَلاَثَةِ أَيَّامٍ مُتَتَابِعَةٍ فَقَدْ وَجَبَ عَلَيْهِ صِيَامُ شَهْرِ رَمَضَانَ ».

It is narrated from Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (a.s) through Isma'il ibn Muslim that He said: "If a boy is able to fast for three consecutive days, fasting the Month of Ramadan becomes obligatory upon him."

وَ سَأَلَهُ سَمَاعَةُ: عَنِ اَلصَّبِيِّ مَتَى يَصُومُ قَالَ «إِذَا قَوِيَ عَلَى اَلصِّيَامِ.

Sama'ah asked Imam (a.s) about when a child should begin fasting. Imam (a.s) said: "When he is strong enough to fast."

وَ فِي رِوَايَةِ مُعَاوِيَةَ بْنِ وَهْبٍ قَالَ: سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ فِي كَمْ يُؤْخَذُ اَلصَّبِيُّ بِالصِّيَامِ قَالَ «مَا بَيْنَهُ وَ بَيْنَ خَمْسَ عَشْرَةَ سَنَةً أَوْ أَرْبَعَ عَشْرَةَ سَنَةً فَإِنْ هُوَ صَامَ قَبْلَ ذَلِكَ فَدَعْهُ وَ لَقَدْ صَامَ اِبْنِي فُلاَنٌ قَبْلَ ذَلِكَ فَتَرَكْتُهُ».

In the narration of Mu'awiyah ibn Wahb, he said: "I asked Abu Abdullah (a.s) at what age a child should be required to fast. Imam (a.s) said: 'Between fourteen and fifteen years of age. If he fasts before that, let him be. My son so-and-so fasted before that age, and I left him to it.'"

وَ فِي خَبَرٍ آخَرَ: «عَلَى اَلصَّبِيِّ إِذَا اِحْتَلَمَ اَلصِّيَامُ وَ عَلَى اَلْمَرْأَةِ إِذَا حَاضَتِ اَلصِّيَامُ ».

In another report: "A boy is required to fast when he reaches puberty, and a woman is required to fast when she menstruates."

وهذه الأخبار كلها متفقة المعاني، يؤخذ الصبي بالصيام إذا بلغ تسع سنين إلى أربع عشرة سنة أو خمس عشرة سنة وإلى الاحتلام، وكذلك المرأة إلى الحيض، ووجوب الصوم عليهما بعد الاحتلام والحيض، وما قبل ذلك تأديب.

These narrations are consistent in meaning. A boy is encouraged to fast from the age of nine until fourteen or fifteen years, or until he reaches puberty. Similarly, a woman is encouraged to fast until menstruation. Fasting becomes obligatory for both after puberty or menstruation, while before that, it is for discipline and training.