If one volunteers to fast on behalf of the expiation for a deceased person, the fasting must be consecutive
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Fatwa number ( 15613 )
Q: My father (may Allah have mercy on him) died in a car accident on the ( Makkah - al-Ta'if ) road. Three children and my mother were with him in the accident. The father and the three children died immediately, while the mother passed away a month and a half after the father's death. She had received treatment in one of the hospitals, but she died from the effects of her injuries after leaving the hospital. Since the accident report from traffic authorities attributed 70% of the fault to my father, I submit these questions to your eminence: 1 - Does my father owe an expiation, and what is it? Is it upon the deceased or the living? 2 - If there is an expiation, I hope you will specify it exactly for me? 3 - If my father is required to perform an expiation, which is the best expiation : fasting, freeing a slave, or feeding the poor? 4 - We are four brothers and two sisters; can the fasting be divided among the siblings, or is it upon one person if there is an expiation?
5 - If one of the brothers volunteers to fast as an expiation for the father, does he fast two consecutive months for one person and then rest for a certain period, or must he continue? 6 - If the fasting for expiation is broken due to circumstances such as illness or receiving treatment, must the fasting be started over from the beginning? 7 - Regarding a woman, if she is menstruating or experiencing post-natal bleeding, does she make up the remaining fasting for the expiation or not, and what is required of her in this case? And peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah and His blessings.
A: After the Committee studied the inquiry, it answered as follows: First: If the matter is as stated, it is obligatory for your father to perform four expiations, corresponding to the number of people who died with him. The expiation for each soul is: freeing a believing slave, and if he does not find one, he must fast two consecutive months. Second: It is recommended for the awliya (close friends of Allah) of the deceased to fast on his behalf; for it is established that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Sahih Muslim 1147 If freeing a slave is not feasible. Third: It is permissible for one who volunteers to fast on behalf of his relative for more than one expiation to fast two consecutive months, then rest for a period, and then fast the second expiation. Fourth: Consecutiveness is required in the fasting for expiation, but if a woman experiences post-natal bleeding
or menstruation, or illness, or an excuse that permits breaking the fast, such as travel for example, the consecutiveness is not broken, and she continues the fasting from the days following the removal of the excuse. And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his Companions.
Q: My father (may Allah have mercy on him) died in a car accident on the ( Makkah - al-Ta'if ) road. Three children and my mother were with him in the accident. The father and the three children died immediately, while the mother passed away a month and a half after the father's death. She had received treatment in one of the hospitals, but she died from the effects of her injuries after leaving the hospital. Since the accident report from traffic authorities attributed 70% of the fault to my father, I submit these questions to your eminence: 1 - Does my father owe an expiation, and what is it? Is it upon the deceased or the living? 2 - If there is an expiation, I hope you will specify it exactly for me? 3 - If my father is required to perform an expiation, which is the best expiation : fasting, freeing a slave, or feeding the poor? 4 - We are four brothers and two sisters; can the fasting be divided among the siblings, or is it upon one person if there is an expiation?
5 - If one of the brothers volunteers to fast as an expiation for the father, does he fast two consecutive months for one person and then rest for a certain period, or must he continue? 6 - If the fasting for expiation is broken due to circumstances such as illness or receiving treatment, must the fasting be started over from the beginning? 7 - Regarding a woman, if she is menstruating or experiencing post-natal bleeding, does she make up the remaining fasting for the expiation or not, and what is required of her in this case? And peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah and His blessings.
A: After the Committee studied the inquiry, it answered as follows: First: If the matter is as stated, it is obligatory for your father to perform four expiations, corresponding to the number of people who died with him. The expiation for each soul is: freeing a believing slave, and if he does not find one, he must fast two consecutive months. Second: It is recommended for the awliya (close friends of Allah) of the deceased to fast on his behalf; for it is established that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
'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 وليهor menstruation, or illness, or an excuse that permits breaking the fast, such as travel for example, the consecutiveness is not broken, and she continues the fasting from the days following the removal of the excuse. And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his Companions.
Source
www.alifta.gov.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.