The ruling on one who falls ill in Ramadan, breaks his fast, and then the illness continues until death?

The questioner : Honorable Shaykh, may Allah reward you. The questioner says: A man fasted two days of Ramadan, then fell ill on the third day, and the illness continued until the tenth day, when he passed away. Is it obligatory to fast on his behalf, or should we feed a poor person for each day?

The Shaykh : If this patient, from the time he was struck by the illness, despaired of recovery, then it is obligatory to feed a poor person for each day. This is because for one who is ill with an illness from which recovery is not expected, it is obligatory to feed a poor person for each day. However, if recovery is expected, then no one fasts on his behalf and no one feeds on his behalf. No one feeds on his behalf because the obligation for the patient whose recovery is not expected is to fast if he recovers. No one fasts on his behalf because he did not reach a time in which he was able to fast. Accordingly, no one fasts on his behalf and no one feeds on his behalf. This is the distinction in this issue, so we ask for attention. If he falls ill with an illness from which recovery is not expected, what is obligatory? What is it? Feeding is obligatory. And if recovery is expected, but the illness continues with him until he dies, then no one fasts on his behalf and no one feeds on his behalf. Why? No one feeds on his behalf because the obligation for this patient is to make up the fast, and it is not made up on his behalf because he did not reach a time in which he was able to make it up. How? Yes. This man was not required to fast, and he was not required to feed, because he was ill with an illness from which recovery was expected, so feeding is not required of him. And he was not able to make up the fast because he died, so it is dropped from him. As for the hadith of 'Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) , it applies to the case where fasting is obligatory upon a person but he did not do it. For example, if he was traveling and broke his fast, and then when Ramadan ended he was able to make up the fast but did not fast, and then he died, in this case his guardian may fast on his behalf if he wishes, or he may feed a poor person for each day on his behalf. Likewise, if he fell ill and then recovered and remained for a period, but he did not make up what he missed, and then he died after that, after being able to make it up, then in this case his guardian fasts on his behalf or feeds a poor person for each day.