Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Dear Brother Burhan,

Assalaamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullah.

I would like to know what one should do for

1. Known missed fasting of Ramadan if not completed before next Ramadan?

2. Woman who has Missed a few days fasting of Ramadan for many years due to menses, Nifaas, feeding milk to her child, or illness etc. The count of number of missed fasting of the past are not known. This was because of ignorance and lack of Islamic knowledge, But since a woman knew the importance of fasting and missed fasting due to menses etc. she is completing it every year before next Ramadan. What she should do for the missed and not known number of fasting in the past?

3. Can a Woman fast the Nafeel fasting (like six from Shawwaal, fasting of Arafah, fastings of Muharram etc.) without completing the missed ramadan fasting? or Can she make an intention for a fast as the missed fasting and Nafeel fasting together? or do she has to complete the missed fasting then fast the Nafeel fastings?

4. If a woman has not completed her missed fasting and the day of Arafah comes, do she has to fast this day as missing fasting or fast the fast of day of Arafah and later complete her missing fasting, otherwise she will miss the fast of Arafah?

I will appreciate urgent reply in this regard as many of the women want to know about it. Jazaakumullah Khair.

Your brother in Islam.

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.) 

Answer:

Missed fasts and making them up

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 2 Surah Baqarah verses 183-185:

183 O ye who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you, that ye may (learn) self-restraint.

184 (Fasting) for a fixed number of days; but if any of you is ill or on a journey the prescribed number (should be made up) from days later. For those who can do it (with hardship) is a ransom the feeding of one that is indigent. But he that will give more of his own free will it is better for him and it is better for you that ye fast if ye only knew.

185 Ramadan is the (month) in which was sent down the Qur'an as a guide to mankind also clear (Signs) for guidance and judgment (between right and wrong). So everyone of you who is present during that month should spend it in fasting, but if anyone is ill or on a journey the prescribed period (should be made up) by days later. Allah intends every facility for you He does not want to put you to difficulties. (He wants you) to complete the prescribed period and to glorify Him in that He has guided you; and perchance ye shall be grateful.

Q-1: Known missed fasting of Ramadan if not completed before next Ramadan?

If for any reason one has not made up the missed fasts of the last Ramadan and the

next Ramadan approaches, he should fast the obligatory fasts of Ramadan and make up the ones he had missed in the prior Ramadan as soon as he can at his convenience.

The missed fasts will remain a debt upon him until he makes them up by fasting them at any other time of the year.

Q-2: Woman who has Missed a few days fasting of Ramadan for many years due to menses, Nifaas, feeding milk to her child, or illness etc. The count of number of missed fasting of the past are not known. This was because of ignorance and lack of Islamic knowledge, But since a woman knew the importance of fasting and missed fasting due to menses etc. she is completing it every year before next Ramadan. What she should do for the missed and not known number of fasting in the past?

If due to ignorance one has missed one’s fasts in Ramadan for many years, one should seek immediate repentance from their Lord Most Merciful for the lapse of their obligatory duty, and if it is possible to estimate how many fasts were missed, it would be better and a purer form of repentance and atonement if the person would make up for those missed fasts by fasting at other times of the year.

If one is not even able to estimate their missed obligatory fasts of the previous Ramadans, one should strive to keep as many voluntary and optional fasts as is easy for them; it is expected that their Lord Most Merciful would turn towards them in Mercy and forgive them their shortcomings.

Q-3: Can a Woman fast the Nafeel fasting (like six from Shawwaal, fasting of Arafah, fastings of Muharram etc.) without completing the missed ramadan fasting?

The missed obligatory fasts of Ramadan remain a debt upon the person until these fasts are made up; thus if one has missed one’s obligatory fasts of Ramadan, it would be best and one would earn a bigger reward if they were to make up these missed fasts of Ramadan than to fast the other optional ‘nafl’ fasts.

To honor the optional ‘nafl’ fasts without having atoned for the obligatory missed fasts of Ramadan would be like a person who neglects his regular duty, but turns up for overtime!

Q-3A: or Can she make an intention for a fast as the missed fasting and Nafeel fasting together?

One cannot make one fasts with two intentions; either one intends to fulfill one’s missed fasts of Ramadan or one intends to perform optional ‘nafl’ fasts; but one cannot make one fast with double intentions.

But there is absolutely no harm if one who has missed his obligatory fasts of Ramadan, chooses the days of optional fasting to fulfill the missed fasts of Ramadan.

Q-3B: or do she has to complete the missed fasting then fast the Nafeel fastings?

The missed obligatory fasts of Ramadan remain a debt upon the person till they are fulfilled and made up; thus it would be best and a deed worthy of bigger rewards if one were to fulfill their missed obligatory fasts of Ramadan than to perform the optional ‘nafl’ fasts of Arafah or Aashura, etc.

Q-4: If a woman has not completed her missed fasting and the day of Arafah comes, do she has to fast this day as missing fasting or fast the fast of day of Arafah and later complete her missing fasting, otherwise she will miss the fast of Arafah?

If the person is so keen not to miss the optional fast of the day of Arafah, it would be better for her to make up all her missed obligatory fasts of Ramadan before the day of Arafah.

But if for any reason the person has not completed her missed obligatory fasts of Ramadan and the day of Arafah arrives, it would be better for her to complete the missed fasts of Ramadan than perform the optional fast of the day of Arafah. Life has absolutely no guarantees, and it is always better to fulfill one’s debt as soon as one possibly can.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan