Is it obligatory to make up months of Ramadan left behind after reaching puberty?

The questioner : Honorable Shaykh, if a person has left behind months of Ramadan after reaching puberty and has now committed himself to the religion, is he required to make up these months?

The Shaykh : The stronger opinion among the scholars is that he is not required to make up these months that he left behind without an excuse. This is based on what has been mentioned previously: that a time-bound act of worship, if a person delays it beyond its time prescribed by the Shari'ah, is not accepted from him, so making it up benefits him in no way. We have mentioned previously the evidence for this from the Book, the Sunnah, and analogical reasoning. Accordingly, if a person in the early days of his youth did not pray or fast, and then Allah granted him guidance so that he prayed and fasted, he is not required to make up the prayers and fasts he missed. Likewise, if he was praying and paying zakah but not fasting, and then Allah granted him guidance so that he began to fast, he is not required to make up that fasting. This is based on the assessment mentioned previously: that a time-bound act of worship, if a person takes it outside its time without an excuse, is not accepted from him, and if it is not accepted from him, making it up benefits him in no way.