One Who Is Permanently Unable to Fast

Question: I am an elderly man, seventy years old, and I have twenty-six days of fasting that I missed in a past Ramadan, which was many years ago. This was due to an illness that afflicts me for most of my life. My question is: Do I have to make up these days and pay the fidyah despite my advanced age, or do I only pay the fidyah instead of making up these days? And what is the weight of a sa' in kilograms?

Answer: If you hope for recovery, you must make up the fasts; as Allah the Exalted said: [Surat al-Baqarah: 185]. However, if you delayed making up the fasts out of negligence, while having times when you were able to make them up, then you are obligated to make up the fasts and feed one poor person for each day, along with repenting to Allah the Exalted for the delay. The obligatory amount is half a sa' for each day that you delayed making up until another Ramadan without a valid excuse. This is approximately one and a half kilograms. The food is given to the poor and needy, and it is permissible to give it all to one poor person. When you are unable to make up the fasts due to advanced age or an illness that is not expected to end, as certified by a specialized doctor, the obligation to make up the fasts is lifted from you, and you are obligated to feed one poor person for each day. This is half a sa' of the staple food of the country, such as dates, rice, or other similar items. May Allah guide us and you to what He is pleased with.