The ruling on forcing the discerning child to fast
Q. Should the discerning children be ordered to fast? Besides, is (fasting) sufficient for them if they reach puberty during their fasting?
A. When young boys and girls reach the age of seven, they are to be ordered to fast so that they become accustomed to it. Their guardians should order them to do so, just as they order them to perform prayer. Then, when they reach puberty, fasting becomes incumbent upon them. And if they reach puberty during a day in which they are observing the fast, their fasting in that day suffices for them. Hence, if the fasting child turns fifteen years old by noon, then that day (of fasting) is sufficient for him. The first part of the day would be classified as supererogatory while the latter half would be obligatory, so long as he had not yet reached puberty, either by the development of pubic hair or ejaculation of sexual fluids due to (sexual) desire. This is also the case with the girl, as the ruling for both is equal [in this matter], except that there is an additional sign indicating her having reached puberty, that is her menses.
[Majmoo ‘al-Fataawa Ibn Baaz, Vol.: 15; pp. 180- 181]
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