Fiqh of Fasting: Expiation for the inability to fast due to age or illness

6. Expiation for the inability to fast due to valid reasons

Whoever is unable to fast because of age or chronic/terminal illness can choose not to fast and feed one needy person for each day. In the beginning when fasting was prescribed, the people had the option of not fasting and instead they could feed a needy person for each day that they didn’t fast. So the rich had a way out in the beginning. Ibn Qudaamah (d. 620 AH) (Rahimullah) said, “The scholars are agreed that it is permissible for the sick person not to fast in general. The basis of that is the aayah in which Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

فَمَن كَانَ مِنكُم مَّرِيضًا أَوْ عَلَى سَفَرٍ فَعِدَّةٌ مِّنْ أَيَّامٍ أُخَرَ

“For those who can do it (With hardship), is a ransom, the feeding of one that is indigent.” [Surat al Baqarah (2) V. 184]

It was narrated that Salamah ibn al-Akwa’ (Radi Allahu Anhu) (d. 74 AH) said: “When this aayah was revealed –

…وَعَلَى الَّذِينَ يُطِيقُونَهُ فِدْيَةٌ طَعَامُ مِسْكِينٍ…

“And as for those who can fast with difficulty, (e.g. an old man), they have (a choice either to fast or) to feed a Miskeen (poor person) (for every day)” [Surat al-Baqarah (2) V. 184]

those who wanted not to fast could do that, and pay the fidyah (i.e., feed one poor person for each day). That remained the case until the following aayah was revealed, i.e., the verse:

…فَمَن شَهِدَ مِنكُمُ الشَّهْرَ فَلْيَصُمْهُ وَمَن كَانَ مَرِيضًا أَوْ عَلَى سَفَرٍ فَعِدَّةٌ مِّنْ أَيَّامٍ أُخَرَ…

“So every one of you who is present (at his home) during that month should spend it in fasting, but if any one is ill, or on a journey, the prescribed period (Should be made up) by days later.” [Surat al-Baqarah (2) V. 185 – interpretation of the meaning]

so it abrogated it.”

Commenting on the abrogation or modification Ibn Abbas (Radi Allahu Anhu) (d. 68 AH) said “The first one is not completely abrogated, it applies to the old and those that cannot fast due to illness”

(Chapter 4 & 5 – Insha’Allah comming soon around Eid al Fitr)

IBN AL HYDERABADEE