The questioner says: I inform you that my mother was afflicted with an illness that confined her to bed, and that was approximately three years ago. During her illness, she swore an oath to fast one day in every month, and in fact, she continued to fast one day each month and is still doing so to this day. The question is: Does my mother have an expiation that would permit her to deviate from the fasting she obligated herself to, out of fear that she might forget to fast at times, or that she might be afflicted with an illness that prevents her from fasting, or something similar? Therefore, I hope to present this matter to Your Eminence the Shaykh to guide her with what he sees regarding this matter. May Allah guide you and extend to you His help and success, and peace be upon you?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner : I inform you that my mother was afflicted with an illness that confined her to bed, and that was approximately three years ago. During her illness, she swore an oath to fast one day in every month, and in fact, she continued to fast one day each month and is still doing so to this day. The question is: Does my mother have an expiation that would permit her to deviate from the fasting she obligated herself to, out of fear that she might forget to fast at times, or that she might be afflicted with an illness that prevents her from fasting, or something similar? Therefore, I hope to present this matter to Your Eminence the Shaykh to guide her with what he sees regarding this matter. May Allah guide you and extend to you His help and success, and peace be upon you?
The Shaykh : Praise be to Allah. This is a simple and easy matter: to fast one day in every month.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : She should make it either on a Monday or a Thursday, and there is no blame on her for that. Since she has sworn an oath and obligated herself to this, this is a confirmed vow by oath, so it is obligatory for her to do what she vowed to Allah (Mighty and Majestic). It is a matter that does not harm her. If it is decreed that she leaves it off out of forgetfulness, while being attentive to this matter, we hope that Allah will forgive her.
The questioner : Yes, you have done well.
This letter, Your Eminence Shaykh Muhammad, reached us from the sender, Saleh Fahd al-Muzay, from Arar, the National Guard.
He says: I am sending you this letter from Arar.
The Shaykh : Praise be to Allah. This is a simple and easy matter: to fast one day in every month.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : She should make it either on a Monday or a Thursday, and there is no blame on her for that. Since she has sworn an oath and obligated herself to this, this is a confirmed vow by oath, so it is obligatory for her to do what she vowed to Allah (Mighty and Majestic). It is a matter that does not harm her. If it is decreed that she leaves it off out of forgetfulness, while being attentive to this matter, we hope that Allah will forgive her.
The questioner : Yes, you have done well.
This letter, Your Eminence Shaykh Muhammad, reached us from the sender, Saleh Fahd al-Muzay, from Arar, the National Guard.
He says: I am sending you this letter from Arar.