Ruling on a woman afflicted with a malignant disease, namely cancer, from which recovery is not expected, who was unaware of it, and who resolved to fast that month, and in the last five days
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The questioner : In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
The Shaykh : What...
The questioner : In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate, he saysThe questioner : May Allah reward you, O honorable Shaykh, please rule for us on a woman who was afflicted with a malignant disease, namely cancer, from which recovery is not expected, and she was unaware of it. She resolved to fast that month, and in the last five days of it she menstruated. After that, her illness intensified, and after a period of time, she passed away (may Allah have mercy on her) due to this illness. Her son fasted on her behalf for the remainder of the month of Ramadan, which are the days she menstruated. Does that fasting suffice for her and does it clear her obligation, or is feeding obligatory, since you mentioned in the previous session regarding the distinction between a man whose recovery is expected and a man whose recovery is not expected? Please inform me; may Allah reward you.
The Shaykh : Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds. This woman is not obligated to fast if it is difficult for her, because she is ill and her illness is of the diseases from which recovery is not expected. The obligatory duty for her is feeding, but may Allah forgive her, she continued to fast, so she performed the obligatory duty. As for the days of menstruation, the obligatory duty for her was to make them up, and it appears that if she had remained, she would have fasted, given what is evident of her eagerness to fast. Feeding is a substitute for fasting, so if her son fasted on her behalf, then that suffices, if Allah wills, and there is no blame on her.
The Shaykh : What...
The questioner : In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate, he saysThe questioner : May Allah reward you, O honorable Shaykh, please rule for us on a woman who was afflicted with a malignant disease, namely cancer, from which recovery is not expected, and she was unaware of it. She resolved to fast that month, and in the last five days of it she menstruated. After that, her illness intensified, and after a period of time, she passed away (may Allah have mercy on her) due to this illness. Her son fasted on her behalf for the remainder of the month of Ramadan, which are the days she menstruated. Does that fasting suffice for her and does it clear her obligation, or is feeding obligatory, since you mentioned in the previous session regarding the distinction between a man whose recovery is expected and a man whose recovery is not expected? Please inform me; may Allah reward you.
The Shaykh : Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds. This woman is not obligated to fast if it is difficult for her, because she is ill and her illness is of the diseases from which recovery is not expected. The obligatory duty for her is feeding, but may Allah forgive her, she continued to fast, so she performed the obligatory duty. As for the days of menstruation, the obligatory duty for her was to make them up, and it appears that if she had remained, she would have fasted, given what is evident of her eagerness to fast. Feeding is a substitute for fasting, so if her son fasted on her behalf, then that suffices, if Allah wills, and there is no blame on her.