The expiation remains a debt in the sick person's liability until he is able to fast
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Fatwa number ( 16558 )
Q: I have a father who is an elderly man, fifty-four years old, and he has developed some symptoms. He fell ill a year ago and underwent a hernia operation at Al-Kharimah General Hospital, where he stayed for twenty-one days. About six months after his discharge, he was involved in an accident between the car he was driving and another person's car, which resulted in the death of the other driver. We paid the blood money to the deceased's heirs. After this accident, he began to have doubts and anxiety, saying, "How did Allah burden me with fasting?" About three months after the accident, he developed a urinary tract disease (a blockage in the urethra) and underwent a cystoscopy. After that, he became doubtful that he had an incurable disease, to the extent that I took him to several hospitals, including psychiatrists. He was given sedative medication and treatment for his prostate for six months. Now, Your Eminence, his eating and sleeping are normal, and he is still using this medication.
And when we tell him to fast, he says, "I am unable to do so," out of fear that he will stop drinking water and it will affect his urinary tract. I ask you to issue a ruling on this matter. May Allah guide you, Your Eminence.
A: Your father owes the expiation for accidental killing, which is: freeing a believing slave. If he cannot find a slave to free, he must fast two consecutive months as repentance to Allah. If he is unable to fast now, it remains a debt in his liability that he must fulfill when he is able. Likewise, if he has any remaining days from last Ramadan, he must make them up. It is not permissible for him to break his fast due to obsessive thoughts and panic over the illnesses he has suffered, unless fasting harms him, according to the advice of a just Muslim doctor. In that case, it is permissible for him to break his fast, and he must make up the fasts. If his illness is not expected to be cured, then regarding the fasting of Ramadan, he owes the expiation for fasting, which is feeding one poor person for each day the amount of half a sa' (a dry measure of about 3 kg) of the local staple food. As for the fasting of the expiation, if freeing a slave becomes easy, he should do so, even from his wealth after his death. If it does not become easy and he dies before fasting, then if one of the heirs volunteers to fast on his behalf, that suffices; based on his saying (peace and blessings be upon him):Sahih Muslim 1147 agreed upon as authentic. And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his Companions.
Q: I have a father who is an elderly man, fifty-four years old, and he has developed some symptoms. He fell ill a year ago and underwent a hernia operation at Al-Kharimah General Hospital, where he stayed for twenty-one days. About six months after his discharge, he was involved in an accident between the car he was driving and another person's car, which resulted in the death of the other driver. We paid the blood money to the deceased's heirs. After this accident, he began to have doubts and anxiety, saying, "How did Allah burden me with fasting?" About three months after the accident, he developed a urinary tract disease (a blockage in the urethra) and underwent a cystoscopy. After that, he became doubtful that he had an incurable disease, to the extent that I took him to several hospitals, including psychiatrists. He was given sedative medication and treatment for his prostate for six months. Now, Your Eminence, his eating and sleeping are normal, and he is still using this medication.
And when we tell him to fast, he says, "I am unable to do so," out of fear that he will stop drinking water and it will affect his urinary tract. I ask you to issue a ruling on this matter. May Allah guide you, Your Eminence.
A: Your father owes the expiation for accidental killing, which is: freeing a believing slave. If he cannot find a slave to free, he must fast two consecutive months as repentance to Allah. If he is unable to fast now, it remains a debt in his liability that he must fulfill when he is able. Likewise, if he has any remaining days from last Ramadan, he must make them up. It is not permissible for him to break his fast due to obsessive thoughts and panic over the illnesses he has suffered, unless fasting harms him, according to the advice of a just Muslim doctor. In that case, it is permissible for him to break his fast, and he must make up the fasts. If his illness is not expected to be cured, then regarding the fasting of Ramadan, he owes the expiation for fasting, which is feeding one poor person for each day the amount of half a sa' (a dry measure of about 3 kg) of the local staple food. As for the fasting of the expiation, if freeing a slave becomes easy, he should do so, even from his wealth after his death. If it does not become easy and he dies before fasting, then if one of the heirs volunteers to fast on his behalf, that suffices; based on his saying (peace and blessings be upon him):
'A'isha (Allah be pleased with her) reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: If anyone dies in a state (that he had to complete) some fasts, his heir must fast on his behalf.
من مات وعليه صيام صام عنه وليه
Source
www.alifta.gov.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.