Making up broken fast of Ramadhaan before next Ramadhaan
Fatwa No: 350437

Question

1. How can this sister make up for her fast of last Ramadan?
2. Should she fast before this Ramadan?
Her story:
I and an older brother were interacting with one another as a necessity based upon an agreement that he had made with me. However, we had a fight. He did not speak to me for some months until a few months ago. He tried to solve our situation, but he did not solve it appropriately. I have no intention to forgive him until he appropriately solves this issue between us, and I am still hurt. My current condition is not that great. I cannot make up for the fast that I missed last Ramadan unless I stay at home and refrain from doing anything that is stressful. When he broke the agreement, I have been getting sick per month. I can concentrate on matters that are not stressful, but I cannot do any intense exercises and cannot eat a lot; I have constipation at least once a day. I cannot do a lot of voluntary acts of worship, except for supplicating, but I do try to do the obligatory prayers on time. Close to the end of February, Allaah decreed that I should have a terrible cold, which I still have to this day, but it is better than before.

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.

This woman is obliged to make up for the days during which she broke the fast during Ramadhaan before the next Ramadhaan starts.

If she has a valid excuse, such as a continuous illness that allows her to delay making up for the fast which she had broken, then she is not sinful for delaying it.

However, work is not a valid excuse for delaying making up for the broken fast, as she could have taken a few days off until she makes up for the missed fast that she is obliged to make up for. So if she delayed making up for the fast without a valid reason, then she has to make up for those days in addition to paying a Fidyah (expiation) for each day. The expiation is to feed one poor person for each day of which she delayed making up for the fast. The food for each day is about 1.5 kg of rice.

If Ramadhaan starts, then she must fast, unless she has a valid excuse that makes it permissible for her to break the fast, such as an illness that increases by fasting, or if fasting delays the recovery from the illness.

For more benefit, please refer to fatwas 5978and 101245.

Allah knows best.

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