Fatwa ID: 06571

Answered by: Maulana Mamunur Hussain

Question:

Assalamualikum, someone is old and can’t fast anymore, now because of what happened in Turkey he wants to give his fidyah of Ramadan now, can he do so or does he have to wait for Ramadan?

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

Answer:

Fasting is an obligation for all Muslims who are able to fast, Allah says in the Qur’an:

يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ ٱلصِّيَامُ كَمَا كُتِبَ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ ١٨٣

O you who believe, the fasts have been enjoined upon you as they were enjoined upon those before you, so that you may be God-fearing,

(Surah Baqarah 2:183 — Mufti Taqi Usmani)

However, this obligation is excused for some if they are unable to fast due to health or old age, instead they have to give fidya:

يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ ٱلصِّيَامُ كَمَا كُتِبَ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ ١٨٣

O you who believe, the fasts have been enjoined upon you as they were enjoined upon those before you, so that you may be God-fearing,

(Surah Baqarah 2:183 — Mufti Taqi Usmani)

One of those conditions is an old person who is unable to fast, as cited in question 1, the fidya for this is they need to feed a poor person for every fast they have missed, so this will be 29 or 30 days depending on the moon sighting. The Fidyah amount cannot be discharged before the commencement of Ramadhaan. The Fidyah amount may be discharged after the commencement of Ramadhaan. (Khairul Fataawa 4/89)

Only Allah (عز و جل) knows best.

Written by Maulana Mamunur Hussain

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham

1 Mukhtasar al-Qudoori (DKI, pg 64)

والشيخ الفاني الذي لا يقدر على الصيام يفطر ويطعم لكل يوم مسكينا كما يطعم في الكفارات