Does the person with a chronic illness, such as diabetes, make up the fast or feed the poor?
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The questioner : Shaykh, may Allah reward you: A diabetic patient in Ramadan experiences a drop in blood sugar that leads to breaking the fast. Sometimes this drop lasts for a week or more. Does he have to make up the fast, or feed the poor?
The Shaykh : Diabetes is like any other illness. If it is chronic and continuous with the person, and he is unable to fast, he must feed one poor person for every day, just like an elderly person who is unable to fast. If it occurs in episodes, he fasts when he is able to, and breaks his fast in Ramadan when he is not able, then makes it up afterward.
The questioner : So he has the choice?
The Shaykh : Then he makes it up.
The questioner : So he has the choice, meaning if he sees this drop in himself?
The Shaykh : No, he does not have the choice. But is this illness always with him?
The questioner : It is chronic, yes.
The Shaykh : Is it always with him?
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Is he unable to fast?
The questioner : He does not fast, but during the month, on the fifteenth day and so on, he is exposed to this drop.
The Shaykh : Fine.
The questioner : So he breaks his fast for ten days or a week.
The Shaykh : If he is exposed to this, he breaks his fast, and there is no harm in that, then he makes it up afterward.
The questioner : No, making up the fast is his right, sometimes he is exposed to continuous drops.
The Shaykh : In any case, as I said, if it is continuous, he feeds one poor person for every day. If it is sometimes one way and sometimes another, he fasts when he is in a normal state, and breaks his fast when he is in a low state.
The Shaykh : Diabetes is like any other illness. If it is chronic and continuous with the person, and he is unable to fast, he must feed one poor person for every day, just like an elderly person who is unable to fast. If it occurs in episodes, he fasts when he is able to, and breaks his fast in Ramadan when he is not able, then makes it up afterward.
The questioner : So he has the choice?
The Shaykh : Then he makes it up.
The questioner : So he has the choice, meaning if he sees this drop in himself?
The Shaykh : No, he does not have the choice. But is this illness always with him?
The questioner : It is chronic, yes.
The Shaykh : Is it always with him?
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Is he unable to fast?
The questioner : He does not fast, but during the month, on the fifteenth day and so on, he is exposed to this drop.
The Shaykh : Fine.
The questioner : So he breaks his fast for ten days or a week.
The Shaykh : If he is exposed to this, he breaks his fast, and there is no harm in that, then he makes it up afterward.
The questioner : No, making up the fast is his right, sometimes he is exposed to continuous drops.
The Shaykh : In any case, as I said, if it is continuous, he feeds one poor person for every day. If it is sometimes one way and sometimes another, he fasts when he is in a normal state, and breaks his fast when he is in a low state.