(F 189) My wife has missed some days of fasting in the month of Ramaḍān due to legitimate excuses. She was pregnant in a certain year and then breastfed for two years afterward. Unfortunately, she did not make up for the missed days at the appropriate time due to breastfeeding and pregnancy. This was due to our lack of knowledge, as we believed that it was possible to give charity instead of making up for the missed days. However, I have heard that making up the missed days is necessary. What is the obligation on her to make up for these missed days during the years of pregnancy and breastfeeding? Is it necessary to make up the days before the upcoming Ramaḍān only, or make up the days along with a form of expiation (Kaffārah), or does the expiation alone suffice for these days? And if making up the missed days is obligatory, does it have to be done before the upcoming Ramaḍān, or can it be postponed afterward due to the large number of days? – International Institute of Islamic Studies

(F 189) My wife has missed some days of fasting in the month of Ramaḍān due to legitimate excuses. She was pregnant in a certain year and then breastfed for two years afterward. Unfortunately, she did not make up for the missed days at the appropriate time due to breastfeeding and pregnancy. This was due to our lack of knowledge, as we believed that it was possible to give charity instead of making up for the missed days. However, I have heard that making up the missed days is necessary. What is the obligation on her to make up for these missed days during the years of pregnancy and breastfeeding? Is it necessary to make up the days before the upcoming Ramaḍān only, or make up the days along with a form of expiation (Kaffārah), or does the expiation alone suffice for these days? And if making up the missed days is obligatory, does it have to be done before the upcoming Ramaḍān, or can it be postponed afterward due to the large number of days?

All praise is due to Allāh:

The default ruling for someone who breaks their fast due to a legitimate excuse and is capable of making up the missed days after the excuse has ended is that they should make up the missed days. However, there is a difference of opinion among scholars regarding whether only making up the missed days is obligatory or both making up the missed days and providing expiation (Kaffārah).

In my view, the matter can be decided according to two factors:

– The difficulty in making up the missed days.

– The number of days that need to be made up.

If the missed days are few and limited, then the obligation is to make up the missed days according to the majority opinion. However, if the missed days are numerous and it would cause hardship, such as if several Ramaḍān months have passed, then facilitation is necessary. In this case, we can consider the opinion of Ibn ʽAbbās (may Allāh be pleased with him) which suggests providing expiation (Kaffārah) without making up the missed fasts, especially since expiation benefits the poor and needy. This is the case if the breaking of the fast was not due to negligence on the part of the accountable, mature Muslim. However, if negligence was involved, then both making up the missed days and providing expiation become obligatory.

Based on the above, it is recommended for the sister to provide expiation (charity) of two meals for each missed day of fasting due to pregnancy and breastfeeding, according to the Ḥanafiy school, or one meal for each missed day according to the majority opinion.

After all, Allāh knows best.

Fatwa issued by Dr. Khālid Naṣr