An elderly woman who is unable to fast has died; is it obligatory for her grandson to feed on her behalf?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner : My grandmother reached the age of Ramadan while being an old woman who was unable to fast. My father was lenient in this matter regarding making up the feeding for each day that my mother broke her fast. Then my grandmother passed away, and my father, due to ignorance or negligence, left this matter. What is obligatory for him now? And if I provide the feeding on his behalf, does this sin fall off him?
The Shaykh : First, may Allah reward you. The feeding is not upon your father, for it is not obligatory for a husband to feed on behalf of his wife’s fasting.
The questioner : Her mother.
The Shaykh : Nor is it upon her mother, nor is it her expiation. Matters of worship are obligatory upon each person individually; they are not of the nature of financial maintenance. It is true that financial maintenance is obligatory upon the one for whom it is obligatory according to the known conditions among scholars. But the obligation related to worship is upon the person himself in all cases. If he or one of his brothers wishes to feed a poor person for each day on behalf of his mother, that is good. Yes.
The Shaykh : First, may Allah reward you. The feeding is not upon your father, for it is not obligatory for a husband to feed on behalf of his wife’s fasting.
The questioner : Her mother.
The Shaykh : Nor is it upon her mother, nor is it her expiation. Matters of worship are obligatory upon each person individually; they are not of the nature of financial maintenance. It is true that financial maintenance is obligatory upon the one for whom it is obligatory according to the known conditions among scholars. But the obligation related to worship is upon the person himself in all cases. If he or one of his brothers wishes to feed a poor person for each day on behalf of his mother, that is good. Yes.