An old man became capable to fast after expiating
24-7-2012 | IslamWeb
Question:
My father had cancer in his colon. The tumor was removed in an operation four days before Ramadhaan, praise be to Allaah The Almighty. Now his health is better. He tried to start fasting but could not, especially since he suffers from diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure and he is over seventy-five years. Does he have to make up for these days or feed poor people? He intends to observe fast in the coming Ramadhaan if Allaah The Almighty keeps him alive but he cannot make up for the present Ramadhaan. Is it permissible for him to feed poor people this year and observe fast next Ramadhaan?
Answer:
All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.
We ask Allaah The Almighty to grant your father recovery and safety. Concerning your question about the ruling on his fasting, it seems that he cannot fast due to his old age and the diseases with which Allaah The Almighty has afflicted him. Therefore, he does not have to make up for Ramadan and he should not fast in the future. Rather, he should feed a poor person for each day he missed in the past Ramadan and in the coming Ramadans as an obligation according to the majority of scholars and as a recommendation according to some people of knowledge, like the Maalikis.
Ad-Dardeer, a Maaliki scholar 
said, "It is recommended to pay a ransom which is a minor expiation equivalent to a Mud for each day (i.e. like those who suffer from old age and extreme thirst) in cases of people who cannot observe fast at any time." The Mud of this ransom is about 750 grams. It should be given from the usual ordinary food of the country.
If your father recovers, Allaah The Almighty grants him health, and he is able to fast, he should make up for what he missed and feeding the poor does not avail him according to the opinion of the Hanafi scholars.
Al-Haskafi, a Hanafi scholar said, "Whenever he is able, he should make up (for the missed fasts)."
According to the majority of scholars, he does not have to make up (for the missed fasts) but he should fast afterwards. Ash-Shirbeeni, a Shaafiʻi scholar said, "If the mentioned person becomes capable of fasting after breaking his fast, he does not have to make it up."
A Hanbali scholar, Al- Mardaawi said, "If a person who is incapable of fasting due to old age or a chronic disease feeds poor people instead of fasting and becomes capable afterwards, then the same ruling applies to him as that of the individual who is incapable of performing Hajj because of his old age or sickness who deputizes someone to perform Hajj on his behalf and then recovers."
The ruling of a sick person in the case of Hajj for them is that he does not have to perform Hajj if he had deputized someone to perform it on his behalf.
Allaah Knows best.