Fatwa ID: 04368

Answered by: Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Question:

If someone broke a few fasts a few years ago (forgot the amount) by doing something that invalidates the fast does he have to fast for 60 days consecutively to make it up?

Does he have the option to pay kaffarah to feed people for 60 days instead of having to fast?

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيْم

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

Answer:

Saaiduna Abu Huraira narrates that while we were sitting with the Prophet a man came and said, “O Allah’s Apostle! I have been ruined.” Allah’s Apostle asked what was the matter with him. He replied, “I had sexual intercourse with my wife while I was fasting.” Allah’s Apostle asked him, “Can you afford to free a slave?” He replied in the negative. Allah’s Apostle asked him, “Can you fast for two successive months?” He replied in the negative. The Prophet asked him, “Can you afford to feed sixty poor persons?” He replied in the negative. The Prophet kept silent and while we were in that state, a big basket full of dates was brought to the Prophet. He asked, “Where is the questioner?” He replied, “I (am here).” The Prophet said (to him), “Take this (basket of dates) and give it in charity.” The man said, “Should I give it to a person poorer than I? By Allah; there is no family between its (i.e. Medina’s) two mountains who are poorer than I.” The Prophet smiled till his pre-molar teeth became visible and then said, ‘Feed your family with it.” (Sahih Bukhari p.259 v.1)

From the aforementioned hadith we can derive that if a person intentionally ate, drank, or engaged in sexual intercourse during a fast in the month of Ramadhan, kaffarah will be obligatory. (Kitabul Fiqh p.906 v.1)

With regard to your first question, the ruling is that if the cause of breaking the fast is because of intentionally engaging in sexual intercourse then one is required to do a separate kaffarah for each breaking of the fast. However, if the cause is something else besides intentionally engaging in sexual intercourse then one kaffarah will be sufficient. (Ahsanul Fatawa p.444 v.4)

Finally, it is not permissible for a healthy person to feed sixty destitute instead of fasting.

(Fatawa Darul Uloom Deoband p.456 v.6)

Only Allah knows best

Written by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham