Aslam

Praise be to Allah.The young boy is ordered to fast when he

reaches the age of 7 is if he is physically capable of bearing it. (Some Muslim

scholars that he should be physically reprimanded if he does not fast by the

age of 10, which is the same rule that is applied to prayer; refer to Al Mughni

3/90). The boy will get a reward for fasting and his parents will get a reward

for teaching him well and guiding him to that which is good. Al Rubayyi’

bint Mu’awwadh (may Allaah be pleased with her) said about fasting ‘Aashouraa’

at the time when it was mandatory to fast it and not voluntary: we used to make

our young boys fast, and we made them a toy made out of wool. If one of the

boys cried [wanting] food, we would give him [the toy to distract him] until

it was time to break the fast." (Al Bukhari Fath # 1960). (Ashouraa is

the tenth day of the month of Muharram. Although fasting this day is now voluntary

the majority of Muslims usually fast.) Some people are quite lenient and lax

when it comes to making their children fast. A situation may even arise where

the young child feels enthusiastic and chooses to fast and is physically capable

of doing so, then his father or mother order him to break his fast claiming

that it is out of sympathy. Little do they know that real sympathy is in stressing

the importance of fasting and teaching the child about it. Allaah said in Surat

ul-Tahreem (interpretation of the meaning): "O you who believe! Ward

yourselves and your families off from a fire (Hell) whose fuel is of men and

stones, over which are appointed angels stern and severe, who do not disobey

the commands they receive from Allaah, and execute that which they are commanded."

We must pay extra attention to the young girl when she first starts fasting

after she reaches puberty. There is a possibility that she will fast while she

has her period (the first time) out of shame or shyness, and end up not making

up the days later on.

Also see the Book "70

Matters Related to Fasting".