Paying Fidyah for breaking Sawm in Ramadan due to illness and then recovering
Q 4: A pious young woman who is twenty eight years old has entrusted me to request a Fatwa (legal opinion issued by a qualified Muslim Scholar) regarding the following:
Her doctors prohibited her from offering Sawm (Fast) due to
a cureless heart disease from which she suffers, so she does not fast in Ramadan but was committed to paying the expiation for every day that she missed. The Divine will decreed that medicine improved and she underwent Heart Valve Surgery, and successfully recovered from it, Praise be to Allah, but she was kept under observation and treatment for a period of time. Now after she has recovered and Allah has provided her the strength to fast the previous months of Ramadan, she is asking about making up for the days that she did not fast, these are 180 days which are equal to six consecutive months of Ramadan, should she fast them? Or was it enough for her to pay the expiation of these days; based on Allah's Saying (Exalted be He):
And as for those who can fast with difficulty, (e.g. an old man), they have (a choice either to fast or) to feed a Miskîn (poor person) (for every day).
? Advise us in this regard, May Allah reward you the with best of all on behalf of the inquirer and all Muslims.
A:
What she has paid as an expiation for every day she did not fast is sufficient for her (Part No. 10; Page No. 196) and she is not to make up for these days, for she was excused, and has fulfilled her duty in this regard at that time.May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions.