Author: Ghulam Mustafa Zaheer Amanpuri
Question:
Is it necessary to make up for missed fasts of Ramadan immediately after Ramadan due to an excuse?
Answer:
It is recommended to make up for missed fasts of Ramadan consecutively, but it is not mandatory because:
Allah Almighty says:
[Al-Baqarah: 185]"A number of other days."
Sayyidah Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) said:
"I had to make up for missed fasts of Ramadan, but I could not do so except in Sha'ban."[Sahih Bukhari: 1950, Sahih Muslim: 1146]
Hafiz Ibn Hajar writes:
"This hadith proves that it is permissible to delay making up for Ramadan fasts without any excuse."
[Fath al-Bari: 4/191]
Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said:
"It does not matter how you make them up, it is just a number of other days."[Taghliq al-Ta'liq by Ibn Hajar: 3/186, with an authentic chain]
Imam Ata bin Abi Rabah said:
Sayyiduna Abu Huraira and Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them) both said:"If you count them, there is no harm in spacing them."[Sunan Dar Qutni: 2/193, with a good chain]
Sayyiduna Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him) said:
"If you wish, you can make them up consecutively."[Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah: 3/34, with an authentic chain]
Bakr bin Abdullah narrated about Sayyiduna Anas bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him):
"He did not see any harm in delaying them and said, 'Allah only mentioned the number of other days.'"[Al-Sunan al-Kubra by Al-Bayhaqi: 4/258, with an authentic chain]
Abu Amr al-Hawzani said:
"I heard Abu Ubaidah bin Al-Jarrah (may Allah be pleased with him) being asked about making up for Ramadan. He said, 'Allah did not give you the concession to break the fast to impose hardship on you in making them up. Count the number and do as you wish.'"[Al-Sunan al-Kubra by Al-Bayhaqi: 4/258, Sunan Dar Qutni: 2/191, with a good chain]
Sayyiduna Mu'adh bin Jabal (may Allah be pleased with him) said:
"Make up for Ramadan with intervals but count the number."
[Sunan Dar Qutni: 2/192, with a good chain]
Imam Hakam bin Utaybah did not see any harm in spacing out the making up of Ramadan fasts.
[Ibn Abi Shaybah: 3/33, with an authentic chain]
Ja'far bin Maimun said:
"Making up for Ramadan is just a number of other days."
[Ibn Abi Shaybah: 3/33, with an authentic chain]
Evidence of Those Who Advocate Consecutive Makeup Fasts:
Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) said about making up for Ramadan:
"They should be made up consecutively."
[Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah: 3/34, with an authentic chain]
Urwah said:
"He will make up for Ramadan consecutively."
[Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah: 3/34, with an authentic chain]
Saeed bin Musayyib said:
"He will make them up as he left them."
[Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah: 3/34, with an authentic chain]
Muhammad bin Sirin said:
"I prefer that he makes them up as he left them."
[Ibn Abi Shaybah: 3/34, with an authentic chain]
Hakam bin Utaybah said:
"I prefer consecutive makeup."
[Ibn Abi Shaybah: 3/34, with an authentic chain]
Qasim bin Muhammad said:
"Fast them consecutively unless you face the same obstacle as before."
[Ibn Abi Shaybah: 3/34, with an authentic chain]
These statements should be understood as recommendations, as:
Imam Ata bin Abi Rabah said:
"Making up consecutively is preferable to me, but if he spaces them out, it suffices."[Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah: 3/35, with an authentic chain]
It is recommended to make up for missed fasts consecutively, but it is not mandatory. Those who consider consecutive makeup necessary have no evidence or support from the righteous predecessors.
Question:
Is it necessary to make up for missed fasts of Ramadan immediately after Ramadan due to an excuse?
Answer:
It is recommended to make up for missed fasts of Ramadan consecutively, but it is not mandatory because:
Allah Almighty says:
فَعِدَّۃٌ مِّنْ أَیَّامٍ أُخَرَ
[Al-Baqarah: 185]"A number of other days."
Sayyidah Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) said:
"I had to make up for missed fasts of Ramadan, but I could not do so except in Sha'ban."[Sahih Bukhari: 1950, Sahih Muslim: 1146]
Hafiz Ibn Hajar writes:
"This hadith proves that it is permissible to delay making up for Ramadan fasts without any excuse."
[Fath al-Bari: 4/191]
Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said:
"It does not matter how you make them up, it is just a number of other days."[Taghliq al-Ta'liq by Ibn Hajar: 3/186, with an authentic chain]
Imam Ata bin Abi Rabah said:
Sayyiduna Abu Huraira and Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them) both said:"If you count them, there is no harm in spacing them."[Sunan Dar Qutni: 2/193, with a good chain]
Sayyiduna Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him) said:
"If you wish, you can make them up consecutively."[Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah: 3/34, with an authentic chain]
Bakr bin Abdullah narrated about Sayyiduna Anas bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him):
"He did not see any harm in delaying them and said, 'Allah only mentioned the number of other days.'"[Al-Sunan al-Kubra by Al-Bayhaqi: 4/258, with an authentic chain]
Abu Amr al-Hawzani said:
"I heard Abu Ubaidah bin Al-Jarrah (may Allah be pleased with him) being asked about making up for Ramadan. He said, 'Allah did not give you the concession to break the fast to impose hardship on you in making them up. Count the number and do as you wish.'"[Al-Sunan al-Kubra by Al-Bayhaqi: 4/258, Sunan Dar Qutni: 2/191, with a good chain]
Sayyiduna Mu'adh bin Jabal (may Allah be pleased with him) said:
"Make up for Ramadan with intervals but count the number."
[Sunan Dar Qutni: 2/192, with a good chain]
Imam Hakam bin Utaybah did not see any harm in spacing out the making up of Ramadan fasts.
[Ibn Abi Shaybah: 3/33, with an authentic chain]
Ja'far bin Maimun said:
"Making up for Ramadan is just a number of other days."
[Ibn Abi Shaybah: 3/33, with an authentic chain]
Evidence of Those Who Advocate Consecutive Makeup Fasts:
Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) said about making up for Ramadan:
"They should be made up consecutively."
[Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah: 3/34, with an authentic chain]
Urwah said:
"He will make up for Ramadan consecutively."
[Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah: 3/34, with an authentic chain]
Saeed bin Musayyib said:
"He will make them up as he left them."
[Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah: 3/34, with an authentic chain]
Muhammad bin Sirin said:
"I prefer that he makes them up as he left them."
[Ibn Abi Shaybah: 3/34, with an authentic chain]
Hakam bin Utaybah said:
"I prefer consecutive makeup."
[Ibn Abi Shaybah: 3/34, with an authentic chain]
Qasim bin Muhammad said:
"Fast them consecutively unless you face the same obstacle as before."
[Ibn Abi Shaybah: 3/34, with an authentic chain]
These statements should be understood as recommendations, as:
Imam Ata bin Abi Rabah said:
"Making up consecutively is preferable to me, but if he spaces them out, it suffices."[Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah: 3/35, with an authentic chain]
It is recommended to make up for missed fasts consecutively, but it is not mandatory. Those who consider consecutive makeup necessary have no evidence or support from the righteous predecessors.