Fath al-Rabbani

Benefits: … This reference is from the author; if you wish to read the entire hadith, study hadith number (3673) in the Book of Fasting (Kitab al-Siyam). The rulings for the traveler, the sick person who hopes for recovery, the chronically ill, and the elderly who cannot bear fasting are clear: the first two must make up (qada) the missed fasts, while the latter two must offer expiation (fidya) by feeding one needy person for each missed fast. By “the sick person,” we mean one for whom fasting is very difficult, or whose illness may worsen or whose recovery may be significantly delayed due to fasting.

Regarding pregnant (hamilah) and breastfeeding (murdiah) women, the question is: must they make up the missed fasts (qada) or offer expiation (fidya)? The answer to this issue also depends on whether the following verse is abrogated (mansukh) or remains operative (muhkam): { وَعَلَی الَّذِیْنَیُطِیْقُوْنَہُ فِدْیَۃٌ طَعَامُ مِسْکِیْنٍ} “And those who are able to fast but with hardship, they may substitute by feeding a needy person (for each day).” There are two opinions regarding this: one is that the verse has been abrogated, and the following verse abrogates it: {فَمَنْ شَہِدَ مِنْکُمُ الشَّہْرَ فَلْیَصُمْہُ} “So whoever among you witnesses the month, let him fast it.”

The evidence for this claim is as follows: It is narrated from Sayyiduna Salamah ibn al-Akwa‘ radi Allahu anhu, who said: When this verse was revealed: {وَعَلَی الَّذِیْنَیُطِیْقُوْنَہُ فِدْیَۃٌ طَعَامُ مِسْکِیْنٍ} whoever wished would fast, and whoever wished would leave the fast and give fidya, until the subsequent verse was revealed and abrogated it. (Bukhari: 4507, Muslim: 1145) The subsequent verse refers to the words: {فَمَنْ شَہِدَ مِنْکُمُ الشَّہْرَ فَلْیَصُمْہُ}.

Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Umar radi Allahu anhuma recited the verse as: {فِدْیَۃٌ طَعَامُ مَسَاکِیْن} and said: This verse has been abrogated. It is narrated from Sayyiduna Mu‘adh ibn Jabal radi Allahu anhu, … … then Allah, the Exalted, made the fasts of Ramadan obligatory upon the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam and revealed these verses: {یَا اَیُّہَا الَّذِیْنَ آمَنُوا کُتِبَ عَلَیْکُمُ الصِّیَامُ کَمَا کُتِبَ عَلَی الَّذِیْنَ مِنْ قَبْلِکُمْ لَعَلَّکُمْ تَتَّقُوْنَ۔} (“O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, so that you may become righteous.”) And He said: {وَعَلَی الَّذِیْنَیُطِیْقُوْنَہُ فِدْیَۃٌ طَعَامُ مِسْکِیْنٍ} (“And those who are able to fast but with hardship, they may substitute by feeding a needy person (for each day).”) Acting upon these verses, whoever wished would fast, and whoever did not wish to fast would feed a needy person as fidya, and that would suffice for him. After that, Allah revealed the ruling: {شَہْرُ رَمَضَانَ الَّذِی اُنْزِلَ فیِہِ الْقُرْآنُ ھُدًی لِّلنَّاسِ وَبَیِّنَاتٍ مِّنَ الْھُدٰی وَالْفُرْقَانِ فَمَنْ شَہِدَ مِنْکُمُ الشَّہْرَ فَلْیَصُمْہُ} (“The month of Ramadan is that in which the Qur’an was revealed, a guidance for mankind and clear proofs of guidance and criterion. So whoever among you witnesses the month, let him fast it.”) Thus, Allah made fasting in this month obligatory upon the resident and healthy person, but gave concession to the sick and the traveler to leave the fast, and for the elderly who cannot bear fasting, the ruling remained that they should feed a needy person as fidya. (This hadith has already been discussed in detail under number (3673).)

However, Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Abbas radi Allahu anhuma holds that this verse is operative (muhkam), not abrogated, as Ata’ says: Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas radi Allahu anhu recited these verses: {وَعَلَی الَّذِیْنَیُطَوَّقُوْنَہُ فِدْیَۃٌ طَعَامُ مِسْکِیْنٍ} (“And those who are able to fast but with hardship, they may substitute by feeding a needy person (for each day).”) and then said: This verse is not abrogated; it is about the elderly man and elderly woman who cannot bear fasting—they should feed a needy person for each missed fast. (Sahih Bukhari: 4505) Based on this view, Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Abbas and Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Umar said: “Al-hamilu wal-murdi‘u tufṭiru wa la taqḍi.” The pregnant and breastfeeding woman may break the fast and are not required to make it up (i.e., they should offer fidya). (Sunan Daraqutni: 2/207)

However, for the following three reasons, the first opinion—that the verse is abrogated—appears stronger:
(1) The recitation of most is “yutiqūnahu,” not “yutawwaqūnahu.”
(2) Ibn al-Mundhir said: If these words were about those who cannot bear fasting, then the last words of the verse {وَاَنْ تَصُوْمُوْا خَیْرٌ لَّکُمْ} (“But to fast is better for you”) would have no relevance. The detailed explanation is that, initially, there was a concession that those who had the ability to fast but did not wish to, could feed a needy person for each missed fast; they were told that if they fasted instead of giving fidya, it would be better.
(3) The narrations of those who hold the first opinion are very clear, showing that these words have been abrogated: {وَعَلَی الَّذِیْنَیُطِیْقُوْنَہُ فِدْیَۃٌ طَعَامُ مِسْکِیْنٍ} In the first hadith of this chapter, the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam mentioned the pregnant and breastfeeding women alongside the traveler, indicating that their ruling is the same as the traveler. Ibrahim al-Nakha‘i and Hasan al-Basri said: When the pregnant and breastfeeding woman fear for themselves or their children, they may leave the fast, but must make it up later. (Before Sahih Bukhari: hadith number 4505) The summary of this discussion is that the ruling for pregnant and breastfeeding women is the same as for the traveler and the sick person who hopes for recovery: to avoid harm, they may leave the fast, but must make it up later. If a woman is pregnant one Ramadan and breastfeeding the next, and this continues for six or seven years and she misses that many fasts, what should she do? She should consult the scholars, inform them of her situation, and the scholars should consider whether making up so many fasts is within her capacity or not, and in that gathering, a decision should be made regarding qada or fidya.

Important Note: In this discussion, the pregnant and breastfeeding women referred to are those who, if they fast, fear harm for themselves or their children, or would face much greater hardship than ordinary fasting people. We have seen many women who complete their fasts with ease; however, some urban women become excessively delicate and seek to avail themselves of the concession of fidya. We advise them that at the very least, they should have enough excuse to be able to prove themselves excused before Allah, the Exalted.

Feeding the needy: Two questions remain regarding this:
(1) It is known that for each missed fast, one needy person should be fed, but is one meal sufficient or two?
(2) What should be the quantity of the food? Regarding whether one or two meals are required, the wording of the texts indicates that for each missed fast, one needy person should be given one meal. Ayyub ibn Abi Tamimah says: When Sayyiduna Anas radi Allahu anhu became too weak to fast, he had a large dish of tharid prepared and invited thirty needy people and fed them. (Abu Ya‘la: 7/204, and its chain is disconnected)

Qatadah says: When Sayyiduna Anas radi Allahu anhu became too weak to fast a year before his death, he stopped fasting and for each missed fast, fed a needy person. (Mu‘jam Kabir: 1/242)

Ayyub ibn Abi Tamimah also says: When, in one year, Sayyiduna Anas radi Allahu anhu became too weak to fast, he had a large dish of food prepared and invited thirty needy people and satisfied them fully. (Sunan Daraqutni: 2/207)

To determine the quantity of food, it is necessary to understand the following discussion: Allah, the Exalted, says: {فَمَنْ کَانَ مِنْکُمْ مَرِیْضًا اَوْ بِہٖاَذًی مِّنْ رَّاْسِہٖفَفِدْیَۃٌ مِّنْ صِیَامٍ اَوْ صَدَقَۃٍ اَوْ نُسُکٍ} “But if any of you is ill or has an ailment of the head, he must offer a ransom: either fasting, or charity, or sacrifice.” (Surah al-Baqarah: 196) In this verse, the rulings related to Hajj and ‘Umrah are being discussed. When a Companion suffered due to lice while in the state of ihram for ‘Umrah, the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said to him: ((Ihlaq thumma adhbah shatan nusukan aw sum thalathata ayyamin aw at‘im thalathata asu‘in min tamrin ‘ala sittati masakin.)) (Bukhari: 1814, 1816, Muslim: 1201, and the wording is from Abu Dawud. In another narration in Bukhari: ((aw at‘im sittata masakin likulli miskeenin nisfu sa‘.)) “So shave your head and sacrifice a sheep, or fast three days, or feed six needy people three sa‘ of dates.” In one narration: “Or feed six needy people, each half a sa‘.”

From this hadith, it is understood that if one must feed a needy person as expiation, the amount should be half a sa‘ (approximately 1.05 kg). However, according to the chapter of hadith number (3819), when a man had to feed sixty needy people, the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam gave him fifteen sa‘ of dates to fulfill this, so each needy person received a quarter of a sa‘ (approximately 525 grams), whereas our standard for feeding is different. Allah knows best, but it appears that if any of us is required to offer such expiation, he should feed the needy from the customary foods in such a way that they are fully satisfied, as is established from the practice of some Companions. In our context, bread and curry should be preferred. If someone is not satisfied with this, he may act upon the wording of the Sahih Bukhari narration: “Or feed six needy people, each half a sa‘,” and feed each needy person food equivalent to half a sa‘. The two blessed ahadith mentioned above are before you; you may decide for yourself. May Allah, the Exalted, be your supporter and helper.