A man traveled abroad during Ramadan, fasted for three days, and did not fast the rest. When he returned to his country, he did not fast but fed people for the days he had not fasted.
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The questioner : A man traveled abroad during Ramadan, fasted for three days, and did not fast the rest. When he returned to his country, he did not fast but fed people for the days he had not fasted, and then the man passed away. Do his sons have to fast on his behalf, or is the feeding sufficient? Note that he was traveling for leisure.
The Shaykh : Yes. Feeding people is not a valid substitute for fasting except for a person who is never able to fast, such as an elderly person who cannot fast or a person suffering from an illness that is not expected to end. As for a person who is ill with an illness that is expected to end, it is obligatory for him to fast. It appears from this question that the man was not suffering from an illness that is not expected to end, but rather he was negligent. He was allowed to be negligent in making up the fasting he owed until the time between him and the second Ramadan was equal to the amount of fasting he owed. Therefore, we say: Feeding people is not sufficient for him; rather, his heir or guardian must fast on his behalf, whether it is the mother, the father, the brothers, or the sons, based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):Sahih Muslim 1147 The feeding that he provided, if he was ignorant and believed that feeding was sufficient, counts as charity, but it does not clear his responsibility regarding the fasting. Yes.
The questioner : What if the wife fasted on his behalf, O Shaykh?
The Shaykh : If the wife fasted, there is nothing wrong with it.
The questioner : There is nothing wrong with it.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : May Allah reward you and bless you.
The Shaykh : And if the heirs share the fasting on his behalf, there is nothing wrong with it. For example, if he owed ten days and he has five sons, and each son fasts two days, there is no blame on them.
The questioner : Praise be to Allah. May Allah reward you and bless you. This is a female questioner who sent a set of questions, saying: To the honorable Shaykh Muhammad al-Uthaymeen (may Allah preserve you).
The Shaykh : Yes. Feeding people is not a valid substitute for fasting except for a person who is never able to fast, such as an elderly person who cannot fast or a person suffering from an illness that is not expected to end. As for a person who is ill with an illness that is expected to end, it is obligatory for him to fast. It appears from this question that the man was not suffering from an illness that is not expected to end, but rather he was negligent. He was allowed to be negligent in making up the fasting he owed until the time between him and the second Ramadan was equal to the amount of fasting he owed. Therefore, we say: Feeding people is not sufficient for him; rather, his heir or guardian must fast on his behalf, whether it is the mother, the father, the brothers, or the sons, 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 وليهThe questioner : What if the wife fasted on his behalf, O Shaykh?
The Shaykh : If the wife fasted, there is nothing wrong with it.
The questioner : There is nothing wrong with it.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : May Allah reward you and bless you.
The Shaykh : And if the heirs share the fasting on his behalf, there is nothing wrong with it. For example, if he owed ten days and he has five sons, and each son fasts two days, there is no blame on them.
The questioner : Praise be to Allah. May Allah reward you and bless you. This is a female questioner who sent a set of questions, saying: To the honorable Shaykh Muhammad al-Uthaymeen (may Allah preserve you).