My father broke his fast in the month of Ramadan, and he was approximately seventy years old. He had a debt that he did not repay because of his illness, and then he passed away. What
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The questioner : My father broke his fast in the month of Ramadan, and he was approximately seventy years old. He had a debt that he did not repay because of his illness, and then he passed away. What must we do in a case like this?
The Shaykh : In a case like this, meaning if a person breaks his fast in Ramadan due to old age, it is obligatory for him to feed one poor person for every day. Likewise, everyone who breaks his fast for an excuse that is not expected to end, such as a person sick with an illness that is not expected to end, must feed one poor person for every day. As for the one who broke his fast for an illness that was expected to end, but it continued until he died, he owes nothing. As for the one who broke his fast for an illness that was expected to end or not expected to end, but then it went away and he recovered, and he was able to make up what he missed but did not do so, and then he died, it must be made up on his behalf, based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):Sahih Muslim 1147
And by this we know that leaving fasting due to illness and the like is divided into three categories:
The first category: that this excuse is not expected to end. In this case, he must feed one poor person for every day.
The second case: that it is expected to end, but the illness continues with him until he dies, so he owes nothing.
The third case: that he recovers from this illness for days during which he is able to make up what he missed, but he did not do so. In this case, it is fasted on his behalf, based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):Sahih Muslim 1147 If his guardian does not do so, it is not obligatory for him to fast, but in this case, he must feed one poor person for every day on his behalf.
The Shaykh : In a case like this, meaning if a person breaks his fast in Ramadan due to old age, it is obligatory for him to feed one poor person for every day. Likewise, everyone who breaks his fast for an excuse that is not expected to end, such as a person sick with an illness that is not expected to end, must feed one poor person for every day. As for the one who broke his fast for an illness that was expected to end, but it continued until he died, he owes nothing. As for the one who broke his fast for an illness that was expected to end or not expected to end, but then it went away and he recovered, and he was able to make up what he missed but did not do so, and then he died, it must be made up on his behalf, based on the saying of the Prophet (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 وليهAnd by this we know that leaving fasting due to illness and the like is divided into three categories:
The first category: that this excuse is not expected to end. In this case, he must feed one poor person for every day.
The second case: that it is expected to end, but the illness continues with him until he dies, so he owes nothing.
The third case: that he recovers from this illness for days during which he is able to make up what he missed, but he did not do so. In this case, it is fasted on his behalf, based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):