A woman who did not make up the fasts of Ramadan due to ignorance, and after a long period learned of the obligation to make up the fasts, what should she do, given that she does not know the number of days?

The questioner : A questioner says: “May the Shaykh be respected, I was in an environment that was ignorant of the ruling on the obligation to make up the fasts of Ramadan. I stayed there for a long period and gave birth to three children. Then I came to Jeddah and learned that making up Ramadan is obligatory. What should I do now? I do not know the number of days I am obligated to make up. Does the ruling on making up the fasts apply to me, given that I was in a non-Muslim environment that knew nothing about this matter? I ask for clarification.”

The Shaykh : If this woman did not know that fasting Ramadan is obligatory, and she was fasting one day and breaking the fast the next, then she owes nothing. She does not have to make up the fasts, because the stronger opinion is that the laws of the Shari'ah do not become binding before knowledge. She was in a non-Muslim environment and knew nothing about Islam, so she does not have to make up the fasts.
As for if she knew that fasting Ramadan is obligatory but she neglected it, there are two opinions among the scholars regarding this: some said she must make up the fasts, and some said she does not have to make up the fasts because she intentionally delayed a time-bound obligation. Anyone who intentionally delays a time-bound obligation does not have a valid performance of that obligation. However, it appears to me from the questioner's situation that she did not know any of this. Therefore, she does not have to make up the fasts as long as she did not know that Ramadan is obligatory and that making it up is obligatory. She does not have to make up the fasts because she is excused by ignorance. Yes.