Short answer
From the moment of puberty, fasting and prayer are fard. In the Hanafi school a child who reaches puberty during a Ramadan day refrains from food for the rest of that day, fasts the remaining days, and makes up neither that day nor the earlier ones. If puberty comes within a prayer's time, that prayer must be prayed, even if the child had already prayed it.
On reaching puberty in a Ramadan day, it is wajib to refrain for the rest of the day out of respect for the month, with no qada for that day or the days before. A child who prayed and then reached puberty within the same prayer time must pray it again, since the earlier prayer was voluntary.
Other madhhabs
- Shafi'i
- A child who prayed and then reached puberty within the time does not have to repeat the prayer, though repeating is recommended.
Explanation
The Prophet ﷺ said the pen is lifted from a child until he reaches puberty. So obligations start at a precise moment: the first sign of puberty, or the age of fifteen lunar years if no sign comes. See when a child becomes accountable.
Ramadan, in the Hanafi school:
- A girl whose first period starts during a fast: her fast for that day ends, as for any woman in her period. From then on she makes up the Ramadan days she misses through her period.
- A boy who has his first wet dream during the day: the wet dream does not break a fast, so if he was fasting he simply continues. If he was not fasting, he refrains from eating and drinking for the rest of the day.
- No qada is owed for the day puberty came, or for any day before it.
- Every day after it is a fard fast. Missing one without excuse needs qada, and breaking one on purpose can need kaffarah.
Prayer:
- If puberty comes while a prayer's time is still in, that prayer becomes fard. A child who already prayed it, say Isha, prays it again as fard.
- Ghusl is needed after a wet dream or when a period ends, before praying. See how to do ghusl.
Parents should explain these signs and rules before they happen, so the child is not embarrassed or confused. For prayers missed before puberty, see prayers missed before puberty, and for fasting see children and fasting.
The evidence
Quran, Surah Al-Baqara 2:185
شَهْرُ رَمَضَانَ ٱلَّذِىٓ أُنزِلَ فِيهِ ٱلْقُرْءَانُ هُدًۭى لِّلنَّاسِ وَبَيِّنَٰتٍۢ مِّنَ ٱلْهُدَىٰ وَٱلْفُرْقَانِ ۚ فَمَن شَهِدَ مِنكُمُ ٱلشَّهْرَ فَلْيَصُمْهُ ۖ وَمَن كَانَ مَرِيضًا أَوْ عَلَىٰ سَفَرٍۢ فَعِدَّةٌۭ مِّنْ أَيَّامٍ أُخَرَ ۗ يُرِيدُ ٱللَّهُ بِكُمُ ٱلْيُسْرَ وَلَا يُرِيدُ بِكُمُ ٱلْعُسْرَ وَلِتُكْمِلُوا۟ ٱلْعِدَّةَ وَلِتُكَبِّرُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ عَلَىٰ مَا هَدَىٰكُمْ وَلَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ ﴿١٨٥﴾
The month of Ramadhan [is that] in which was revealed the Qur'an, a guidance for the people and clear proofs of guidance and criterion. So whoever sights [the new moon of] the month, let him fast it; and whoever is ill or on a journey - then an equal number of other days. Allah intends for you ease and does not intend for you hardship and [wants] for you to complete the period and to glorify Allah for that [to] which He has guided you; and perhaps you will be grateful.
Fasting is due on whoever is under obligation during the month.
Sunan Abi Dawud 4403
Graded sahih... وعن الصبي حتى يحتلم ...
"...and from the child until he reaches puberty."
Obligations begin at puberty.
Where the ruling is recorded
- al-Hidaya, Kitab al-Sawm, chapter on what requires qada and kaffarah. A child reaching puberty in Ramadan refrains for the rest of the day and makes up neither that day nor earlier ones.
- al-Durr al-Mukhtar, Kitab al-Salah, chapter on prayer times. A child who prays and then reaches puberty within the time repeats the prayer.
- al-Majmu' (Nawawi), Kitab al-Salah, on the prayer of a child who reaches puberty. The Shafi'i view that repeating is not required.
Checked by our team. For a more accurate answer to your own situation, consult a scholar. Quran translation by Sahih International. Hadith Arabic from the standard editions of the six books and the Muwatta, with gradings as recorded there; the English is our own rendering. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.