A girl who is nineteen years old; her problem is that several years ago she fell ill during her first Ramadan fast, and she does not know exactly how many days she fasted, whether five or six days in
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The questioner : She recalls that she is a girl who is nineteen years old. She says: My problem is that seven years ago I fell ill, and that was in my first month of Ramadan. As a result of that illness, I had surgery, and I did not fast from the month except for about five or six days. So, I do not know the exact number because of my young age at the time, as it was the first month in which fasting became obligatory for me. So, is it obligatory for me to fast the entire month consecutively without interruption or separation? And should I fast that, or leave out the days I thought I had fasted? Please guide me in light of this question?
The Shaykh : The days she fasted do not require her to make them up, because they occurred in their proper place and were sufficient. The days she is most likely did not fast are obligatory for her to make up consecutively because she delayed making them up. However, if she fasts them separately, there is nothing wrong with her, especially given the difficulty of consecutiveness for her.
And my advice to her and to others who hear this is that they should not be negligent in asking people of knowledge, delaying the question for years. Rather, it is obligatory for a person to ask first before acting, so that it becomes clear to him what is permissible for him to do and what is not, and what is sufficient and what is not, so that he worships Allah with knowledge.
Then, if it happens that he acted without asking and it becomes clear that there is a defect in his action, it is obligatory for him to hasten to ask people of knowledge and not delay, because delay has harms. A person may fall ill and be unable to do what he missed, or he may die, or he may be burdened with deeds that prevent him from acting, and the like of that.
So, the important thing is that it is obligatory for a person who fears Allah the Mighty and Majestic to ask before he acts. Then, if he acts and it is mentioned to him that there is a defect in his action, it is obligatory for him to hasten to ask. As for remaining silent for years and then realizing it afterwards, that is an error.
Yes, it may be that some people did not occur to them that there was a defect in their action, so they remain silent until they review a study after a month or two months, or a year or two years, or they hear from scholars what indicates a defect in their action. In that case, they are excused because they did not delay the question intentionally.
The questioner : May Allah bless you.
The Shaykh : The days she fasted do not require her to make them up, because they occurred in their proper place and were sufficient. The days she is most likely did not fast are obligatory for her to make up consecutively because she delayed making them up. However, if she fasts them separately, there is nothing wrong with her, especially given the difficulty of consecutiveness for her.
And my advice to her and to others who hear this is that they should not be negligent in asking people of knowledge, delaying the question for years. Rather, it is obligatory for a person to ask first before acting, so that it becomes clear to him what is permissible for him to do and what is not, and what is sufficient and what is not, so that he worships Allah with knowledge.
Then, if it happens that he acted without asking and it becomes clear that there is a defect in his action, it is obligatory for him to hasten to ask people of knowledge and not delay, because delay has harms. A person may fall ill and be unable to do what he missed, or he may die, or he may be burdened with deeds that prevent him from acting, and the like of that.
So, the important thing is that it is obligatory for a person who fears Allah the Mighty and Majestic to ask before he acts. Then, if he acts and it is mentioned to him that there is a defect in his action, it is obligatory for him to hasten to ask. As for remaining silent for years and then realizing it afterwards, that is an error.
Yes, it may be that some people did not occur to them that there was a defect in their action, so they remain silent until they review a study after a month or two months, or a year or two years, or they hear from scholars what indicates a defect in their action. In that case, they are excused because they did not delay the question intentionally.
The questioner : May Allah bless you.