How does one make up fasting if one has left it for a period?
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Question: Since the beginning of the obligation of fasting upon me, I have not fasted for twelve years because I did not realize the time at that point due to leaving fasting. However, after that, and praise be to Allah, I have continued fasting without interruption. What is the ruling in Islam regarding this period that I did not fast? Am I required to fast all of it? Or should I fast a portion of it to compensate for the rest? Or is there something that compensates for leaving the period other than fasting? My mother is in the same situation, except for a difference in the number of years she did not fast, but she is now old in age and her health condition does not allow her to fast for such a long period. Please guide us, may Allah reward you.
Answer: You and your mother must fast what you left of the fasting, along with repentance and seeking forgiveness; because you both erred in wasting this obligatory duty and delaying it. So it is obligatory for you both to repent to Allah, feel regret for what has passed, along with seeking forgiveness, and asking Allah for pardon , and making a sincere resolve not to return to such a thing. And you must make up the days you left, feeding a poor person half a sa' of dates or of wheat for each day, provided you have the ability. If you are poor, then nothing is required of you, but you must fast for what has passed; due to the saying of Allah, the Exalted: [al-Baqarah:185]. And you are not sick nor traveling, so it is obligatory for you to make it up, all the more so.
And so it is for your mother; she must make up the days, even if not consecutively, so she fasts days and breaks the fast on days, and so on, until she makes up what is upon her, after her recovery from the illness. As for if she is unable due to old age, in a state of inability where she cannot fast Ramadan, then she feeds a poor person half a sa' of the staple food of her land for each day, and praise be to Allah. But as long as she is able to fast, she fasts. And if she currently has an illness that prevents her from fasting, it is postponed until she recovers, if Allah wills, then she fasts, feeding a poor person for each day, exactly like you. And this food is given to the poor or to one poor person.
Answer: You and your mother must fast what you left of the fasting, along with repentance and seeking forgiveness; because you both erred in wasting this obligatory duty and delaying it. So it is obligatory for you both to repent to Allah, feel regret for what has passed, along with seeking forgiveness, and asking Allah for pardon , and making a sincere resolve not to return to such a thing. And you must make up the days you left, feeding a poor person half a sa' of dates or of wheat for each day, provided you have the ability. If you are poor, then nothing is required of you, but you must fast for what has passed; due to the saying of Allah, the Exalted:
and whoever is ill or on a journey - then an equal number of other days
وَمَن كَانَ مَرِيضًا أَوْ عَلَى سَفَرٍ فَعِدَّةٌ مِّنْ أَيَّامٍ أُخَرَAnd so it is for your mother; she must make up the days, even if not consecutively, so she fasts days and breaks the fast on days, and so on, until she makes up what is upon her, after her recovery from the illness. As for if she is unable due to old age, in a state of inability where she cannot fast Ramadan, then she feeds a poor person half a sa' of the staple food of her land for each day, and praise be to Allah. But as long as she is able to fast, she fasts. And if she currently has an illness that prevents her from fasting, it is postponed until she recovers, if Allah wills, then she fasts, feeding a poor person for each day, exactly like you. And this food is given to the poor or to one poor person.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.