Raising children is not an excuse for failing to make up for the missed days of fast in Ramadan

Q: My wife broke her fast on two consecutive months of Ramadan due to a gynecological illness and childbirth. Moreover, she vowed to fast for a month if one of her children, who was suffering from meningitis, recovered. However, she has not been able to fulfill her vow, because she is ill and busy raising seven children. For this reason, I hope Your Eminence will tell me whether she must feed the poor instead of fasting due to her poor health and raising up her children?

A: Raising children is not an excuse for failing to make up for the missed days of fasting in Ramadan and feeding the poor instead. She is to delay making up for her missed fast days until she can perform them. This is based on the Ayah (Qur'anic verse): ...but if any of you is ill or on a journey, the same number (should be made up) from other days. If her illness is chronic and there is no hope of recovering from it, then it is a valid excuse for not making up for the missed days of fasting and feeding the poor instead. Allah (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). This means those who cannot make up for the missed days of fasting due to old age or an illness where there is no possibility of recovery. She has to fulfill her vow to fast a month, based on the words of the Prophet (peace be upon him) who said: Whoever makes a vow to obey Allah should obey Him. If she is unable to start fasting in fulfillment of her vow, then she is to delay fulfilling it until (Part No. 9; Page No. 291) she is able to, since this is a debt.May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions.