She Did Not Make Up The Days When She Had Her Period And Now She Cannot Fast
EsinIslam
Ramadan
The Awqaf -
Living Shariah
I did not fast on the days of my period in
previous years, and I did not know that I had to fast
these days before the next Ramadaan came. Now I suffer
medical problems and am weak, and I cannot fast these
days. It is permissible for me to feed poor people
instead? If that is permissible, I do not know how
many days are involved so how should I go about
feeding them?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly:
When a woman does not fast because of her period, she
has to make up the days that she missed, because
‘Aa'ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) said: "That
– meaning menstruation – used to happen to us and we
were told to make up the fasts but we were not told to
make up the prayers." Narrated by Muslim, 335.
Secondly:
We have already stated in the answer to question no.
26865 that it is obligatory to make up days missed in
Ramadaan before the next Ramadaan comes; it is not
permissible to delay it except for those who have a
reason.
Thirdly:
Whoever is obliged to make up missed fasts but then is
unable to do so because of sickness or weakness for
which there is no hope of a cure should feed the poor
instead, one poor person for each day.
Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen was asked in Fataawa Arkaan
al-Islam (p. 455):
A young girl got her period and she fasted the days of
her period out of ignorance. What does she have to do?
He replied:
She has to make up the days that she fasted during her
period, because fasts observed whilst menstruating are
not accepted and are not valid, even if she was
ignorant of that, and there is no limit to the time
when they can be made up.
Here is a case which involves the opposite scenario: A
woman started her periods when she was young, and she
was too shy to tell her family, and she did not fast
Ramadaan. This woman has to make up the month that she
did not fast, because once a woman starts her periods
she becomes mukallifah (accountable for her deeds),
because menstruation is one of the signs of having
reached adolescence.
He was also asked about a woman who did not make up
the days from her period in Ramadaan until she owed
nearly two hundred days, and now she is sick and old
and cannot fast – what should she do?
He replied:
If this woman will be harmed by fasting as mentioned
in the question, because she is elderly and sick, then
she should feed one poor person for each day. She
should calculate how many days she owes from the past
and feed one poor person for each day.
Fataawa al-Siyaam, p. 121.
For information on how much must be given when feeding
the poor, see question no. 38867.
In conclusion:
If you are able to fast then you have to make up the
days. If you will not be able to fast then you have to
feed one poor person for each day. Try to figure out
how many days you did not fast until you think it most
likely that you have reached the right number.
Ramadan Team
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