Ruling on making up the fast for one who left fasting without a valid religious excuse

Question: What is the ruling on a Muslim who neglected performing the obligatory fast without a valid religious excuse for several years, while adhering to the performance of other obligatory duties? Does he have to make up the fast or pay an expiation? And how does he make up all these months if he is required to make them up?

Answer: The ruling on a man or woman who is of age and has left the fast of Ramadan is that he or she has disobeyed Allah and His Messenger and committed a major sin. He or she must repent to Allah for that, and must make up every day left, along with feeding one poor person for each day if he or she is able to feed. If he or she is poor and unable to feed, making up the fast and repenting is sufficient; because the fast of Ramadan is a great obligation that Allah has prescribed for Muslims of age, and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) informed that it is one of the five pillars of Islam.
It is obligatory to punish him for that and discipline him in a way that deters him, if his case is brought to the one in authority, or to the Commission for Promoting Good and Forbidding Evil. This is if he does not deny the obligation of fasting in Ramadan. But if he denies the obligation of fasting in Ramadan, then he is a disbeliever in that, denying Allah and His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). He is to be called to repent by the one in authority through the Shari'ah courts. If he repents, well and good; otherwise, he must be killed for apostasy; due to the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): Al-Bukhari narrated it in his Sahih.
As for one who leaves fasting due to illness or travel, there is no blame on him for that. It is obligatory for him to make up the fast when he recovers from his illness or returns from his travel; due to the saying of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) : [Surat al-Baqarah: 185], the verse from Surat al-Baqarah. And success is from Allah.