Delaying Making up the Fasting because of Sickness

21-1-2018 | IslamWeb

Question:

Assalamu'alaykum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa BarkatuhI missed fasts in Ramadan and did not finish making it all up even until now a few Ramadan has passed. Now Im unable to fast because of my sickness and I am not sure wether in the future Im going to be able to make up the few days that I wasn't able to finish making up. Ive read about the ruling of delaying making up missed fasts and paying fidyah for it and that there's a difference of opinion about it.My question is, can I give fidyah for the days that I wasnt able to make up for since it has been delayed for a long period now, along with the intention of giving fidyah for delaying it?And then fast the missed days if In shaa Allaah Im able to do so in the future?Jazakumullahu Khair.

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Answer:

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

If a person is sick with an illness that is expected to be cured, then he is obliged to make up after Ramadan whatever days he had missed in Ramadan.

Therefore, if it is expected that you will be cured from your illness, then it is not sufficient for you to pay a ransom now; rather, you must make those days up after you are cured even if it is after a long time.

However, you are not obliged to pay a ransom due to the delay in making up those days because of being unable due to sickness.

Asna al-Mataalib, authored by Zakariyyah al-Ansaari reads:

“If he delays making up (for fasting) due to an excuse, such as if he was a continuous traveler, or in continuous sickness, or a pregnant woman, or a breastfeeding woman, until the next year, then he/she is not required of anything because of the delay. This is because delaying the current fasting [i.e. in Ramadan] because of a sound excuse is permissible, so it is with greater reason that delaying making it up [the fasting] is also permissible.”

Allah knows best.