28th April 2020
السلام عليكم و رحمة الله و بركاته
Question: I have a question regarding fasting on behalf of someone. They have an autoimmune disease and get Migraines, headaches, weak immune system which causes nausea, throwing up, eye-sight issues and just general unwell health out with Ramadhān but during fasting makes it worse. They have not managed to fast for a few years now due to the above symptoms and have not regained health to make them up during any other times of the year. Therefore, they have accumulated a lot of qadha fasts. They are asking can they give fidya? And if no why not as the parent feels, her child (although he’s 19) isn’t getting better and now has too many fasts that he will need to do qadha of. He has always fasted enthusiastically so this is difficult on him to not fast but he just can’t manage to.
الجواب حامداً و مصلياً
In the name of Allāh, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer:
Thank you for your question. In reference to your query, generally Islām gives concession to an ill person not to fast during Ramadhān and to make up for these fasts later on as Qadha. The concession of paying fidya however, applies only when the ill person has a very strong indication confirmed by an experienced Muslim doctors that due to the acute and terminal illness, there is no hope of them recovering to their normal condition and as a result, not able to ever fast in the future. If there is hope of recovering or at least to a state where fasting is possible [be it in 10 years’ or so], then fidya will not suffice and instead, Qadha becomes necessary whenever possible. [1] The person in question must, therefore, judge according to this general rule and seek a professional Muslim Doctor’s advice.
If the law of fidya does apply to the person in question as descried above, then the amount of fidya is the same as sadaqutul fitr per fast which is half a saa’ of wheat or its monetary value. Half a saa’ is approximately 1.75kg.[2] Alternatively you can give the monetary value which is common nowadays. So, pay the amount equivalent to fitrana.
If hypothetically fidya was given and then the ill person eventually recovers be it after many years, then all of the past fidyas given will become nafil charity, and consequently all of the missed fasts must be kept.[3] It must be remembered that having many qadha fasts is not a valid excuse for paying fidya. Moreover, it is not necessary to observe the qadha fasts consecutively nor is there a particular time in the year one must keep the fasts. Instead, the Shariah allows the person to complete them at their convenience.
[Allāh Knows Best]
Written by: Apa Sajeda Reviewed by: Mufti Abdul Waheed
Attested by: Shaykh Mufti Saiful Islam
JKN Fatawa Department
[1] Kasani, Bada’ia Sana’ia, Kitab Alsawm, Vol 2, Pg 105.
وَأَمَّا وُجُوبُ الْفِدَاءِ: فَشَرْطُهُ الْعَجْزُ عَنْ الْقَضَاءِ عَجْزًا لَا تُرْجَى مَعَهُ الْقُدْرَةُ فِي جَمِيعِ عُمْرِهِ فَلَا يَجِبُ إلَّا عَلَى الشَّيْخِ الْفَانِي، وَلَا فِدَاءَ عَلَى الْمَرِيضِ وَالْمُسَافِرِ وَلَا عَلَى الْحَامِلِ وَالْمُرْضِعِ وَكُلِّ مَنْ يُفْطِرُ لِعُذْرٍ تُرْجَى مَعَهُ الْقُدْرَةُ لِفَقْدِ شَرْطِهِ وَهُوَ الْعَجْزُ الْمُسْتَدَامُ، وَهَذَا لِأَنَّ الْفِدَاءَ خَلَفٌ عَنْ الْقَضَاءِ، وَالْقُدْرَةُ عَلَى الْأَصْلِ تَمْنَعُ الْمَصِيرَ إلَى الْخَلَفِ كَمَا فِي سَائِرِ الْأَخْلَافِ مَعَ أُصُولِهَا،
Ibn Nujaym, Bahr Alrai’q, Kitab Alsawm, Vol 2, Pg 303
(قَوْلُهُ: لِمَنْ خَافَ زِيَادَةَ الْمَرَضِ الْفِطْرُ) لِقَوْلِهِ تَعَالَى {فَمَنْ كَانَ مِنْكُمْ مَرِيضًا أَوْ عَلَى سَفَرٍ فَعِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَيَّامٍ أُخَرَ} [البقرة: ١٨٤] فَإِنَّهُ أَبَاحَ الْفِطْرَ لِكُلِّ مَرِيضٍ لَكِنْ الْقَطْعُ بِأَنَّ شَرْعِيَّةَ الْفِطْرِ فِيهِ إنَّمَا هُوَ لِدَفْعِ الْحَرَجِ وَتَحَقُّقُ الْحَرَجِ مَنُوطٌ بِزِيَادَةِ الْمَرَضِ أَوْ إبْطَاءِ الْبُرْءِ أَوْ إفْسَادِ عُضْوٍ ثُمَّ مَعْرِفَةُ ذَلِكَ بِاجْتِهَادِ الْمَرِيضِ وَالِاجْتِهَادُ غَيْرُ مُجَرَّدِ الْوَهْمِ بَلْ هُوَ غَلَبَةُ الظَّنِّ عَنْ أَمَارَةٍ أَوْ تَجْرِبَةٍ أَوْ بِإِخْبَارِ طَبِيبٍ مُسْلِمٍ غَيْرِ ظَاهِرِ الْفِسْقِ
[2] Kasani, Bada’ia Sana’ia, Kitab Alsawm, Vol 2, Pg 103.
وَمِقْدَارُ الْفِدْيَةِ مِقْدَارُ صَدَقَةِ الْفِطْرِ، وَهُوَ أَنْ يُطْعِمَ عَنْ كُلِّ يَوْمٍ مِسْكِينًا مِقْدَارَ مَا يُطْعِمُ فِي صَدَقَةِ الْفِطْرِ.
[3] Fatawa Hindiyya, Kitab Alsawm, Vol 1, Pg 207.
وَلَوْ قَدَرَ عَلَى الصِّيَامِ بَعْدَ مَا فَدَى بَطَلَ حُكْمُ الْفِدَاءِ الَّذِي فَدَاهُ حَتَّى يَجِبَ عَلَيْهِ الصَّوْمُ هَكَذَا فِي النِّهَايَةِ.
Kasani, Bada’ia Sana’ia, Kitab Alsawm, Vol 2, Pg 97.
فَإِنْ بَرِئَ الْمَرِيضُ أَوْ قَدِمَ الْمُسَافِرُ وَأَدْرَكَ مِنْ الْوَقْتِ بِقَدْرِ مَا فَاتَهُ يَلْزَمُهُ قَضَاءُ جَمِيعِ مَا أَدْرَكَ، لِأَنَّهُ قَدَرَ عَلَى الْقَضَاءِ لِزَوَالِ الْعُذْرِ،