(Questions over the phone) What should one do if he is afflicted with an illness and is unable to fast in Ramadan?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner : Regarding fasting, a man whose stomach had an ulcer and who underwent surgery was unable to fast in Ramadan last year, 1988. Now this Ramadan has come, and he will not be able to fast again. Does he have to expiate, meaning pay the expiation, or should he wait? Some people said he should wait until he recovers. But what if this person does not recover?
The Shaykh : Listen to the answer. If the doctors say that it is more likely than not that the patient will recover from this illness, then, as I am telling you, he does not pay expiation; rather, he waits until he recovers, if Allah wills. But if the doctors say that it is more likely than not that this illness will not be cured, then for every month of Ramadan in which he breaks his fast, he must expiate by feeding one poor person for each day. Did you understand this distinction?
The questioner : Yes, I understood, but...
The Shaykh : Can you repeat to me what you understood?
The questioner : If the doctors say there is hope that he will recover, even if it is after two, three, or four years?
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : So the length of time is not important?
The Shaykh : No, the length of time is not important, but you did not express the phrase that I told you?
The questioner : I understood it, if he recovers.
The Shaykh : No, pay attention, daughter of the faithful. That is not what I told you. If the doctors say, "It is more likely than not," "it is more likely than not," do you understand? If the competent Muslim doctor says it is more likely than not that this patient will recover, then he does not fast until he recovers, and then he makes up the fasts. But if the doctor says it is more likely than not that he will not recover, then he must feed one poor person for each day. Did you understand me?
The questioner : Yes, I understood.
The Shaykh : Can you repeat it to me?
The questioner : So if it is more likely than not in the doctors' opinion that this illness can be cured, he does not pay expiation; he waits until he can fast and make up the days. And if it is more likely than not in their opinion that this patient will not recover, he feeds [one poor person] for every day he breaks his fast.
The Shaykh : Now your expression is correct.
The Shaykh : Listen to the answer. If the doctors say that it is more likely than not that the patient will recover from this illness, then, as I am telling you, he does not pay expiation; rather, he waits until he recovers, if Allah wills. But if the doctors say that it is more likely than not that this illness will not be cured, then for every month of Ramadan in which he breaks his fast, he must expiate by feeding one poor person for each day. Did you understand this distinction?
The questioner : Yes, I understood, but...
The Shaykh : Can you repeat to me what you understood?
The questioner : If the doctors say there is hope that he will recover, even if it is after two, three, or four years?
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : So the length of time is not important?
The Shaykh : No, the length of time is not important, but you did not express the phrase that I told you?
The questioner : I understood it, if he recovers.
The Shaykh : No, pay attention, daughter of the faithful. That is not what I told you. If the doctors say, "It is more likely than not," "it is more likely than not," do you understand? If the competent Muslim doctor says it is more likely than not that this patient will recover, then he does not fast until he recovers, and then he makes up the fasts. But if the doctor says it is more likely than not that he will not recover, then he must feed one poor person for each day. Did you understand me?
The questioner : Yes, I understood.
The Shaykh : Can you repeat it to me?
The questioner : So if it is more likely than not in the doctors' opinion that this illness can be cured, he does not pay expiation; he waits until he can fast and make up the days. And if it is more likely than not in their opinion that this patient will not recover, he feeds [one poor person] for every day he breaks his fast.
The Shaykh : Now your expression is correct.
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.