Not making up for the missed days of Sawm due to menstruation from puberty to menopause

Q 2: A woman says that since she reached puberty until she reached menopause she has not made up for the days of Sawm (Fast) which she missed during Ramadan due to the monthly period, and she is now in her menopause. She said that the reason for not making up for these days was that she used to think (Part No. 9; Page No. 52) that she was not required to make up for the missed Salah (Prayer) or for the missed days of Sawm. Now, she found out that she has to make up for the missed days of Sawm, but she does not know the number of days she missed due to the passage of many years. What should she do now with respect to all the days that she did not fast in Ramadan, taking into consideration that this happened due to her ignorance of the ruling and her unawareness of it?

A: It is incumbent upon this woman to make up for the days she did not observe Sawm in Ramadan starting from the time she reached puberty until her menopause. She should exert efforts to estimate the number of days she missed during Ramadan within the past years. She should make up for them and feed a needy person for every day she missed, because of her delay in making up for these days. She should pay to the needy half a Sa` (1 Sa` = 3 kg. Approx.) from the staple food of the people of her town, for every day she did not observe Sawm and delayed making up for it to the following year. However, if she is poor and cannot feed a needy person for every day she missed Sawm, it is sufficient for her to make up for Sawm, and there is nothing wrong with her in fasting these missed days consecutively or separately.May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions.