CAIRO: Al-Azhar’s statement came in response to a question from Germany’s Central Council of Muslims.
The council sought advice from the prominent seat of Sunni Islamic learning after a dispute emerged involving German club FSV Frankfurt.
The second-division side warned three of their players against fasting last year.
The club said the players’ contracts included a clause which does not allow them to fast unless they gain permission.
Muslims fast from dawn to sunset during Ramadan, which is due to start on August 11 this year.
According to the German council, Al-Azhar ruled that if a player is obliged to perform under a contract that is his only source of income, if he has to play matches during Ramadan, and if fasting affects his performance, then he can break his fast.
Frankfurt, who open their second-division campaign against Arminia Bielefeld on August 20, welcomed the ruling.
"We very much welcome it that an arrangement has now been found that allows players to carry out professionally their work in high-performance sport and in doing so live their faith to the full," Frankfurt manager Bernd Riesig said.
