REDEEMING THE MISSED FASTS

REDEEMING THE MISSED FASTS

Q.   What situations if and when they arise, make it necessary for a person to redeem the missed fast at a large stage?

  The situations are as follows:

             i.     Missing commanded or ordained fasts which have stipulation of time attachment with them;

           ii.     Missing fasts under some valid excuse;

         iii.     Intentional of unintentional break in the middle of a fast due to one exigency or the other.

Anyone of the above mentioned situations shall make it necessary for a person to redeem a missed fast at a larger stage.

Q.   When must one redeem the missed fast?

  He must do it in the first available convenience. Delaying the redemption of such fasts without a valid excuse is undesirable.

Q.   Is it necessary to redeem all the fasts missed by a person in one continuation?

  No, we are free either to keep such fasts in one continuation or with gaps in between.

Q.   What should one do in the event of the approach of the next Ramadhan while fasts missed in a previous Ramadhan have not been redeemed so far?

  In this case fasts for the month in progress must be completed first. Those missed in the past may wait till the conclusion of the month.

Q.   What is the injunction in Shariah about a Nafl fast broken by a person in the middle?

  It is ordained to redeem these fasts at a later date. It is because even Nafl fasts and prayers become ordained once they are started.

Q.   What must one do if one does not have strength enough to redeem the missed fasts?

  If a person being too old is not able to fast at all or he is so seriously ill as to have no chances of survival, Fidyah (compensation money) for the same may be given.

Q.   How much compensation money is to be given for a missed fast?

  A quarter short of two seers of wheat or double this measure of barley or an equivalent amount of any other foodgrain eg. rice, millet etc., is the compensation for each missed fast.

The same amount of compensation holds good for each commanded prayer missed. But resort to compensation for Salat should not be taken to unless one is no longer in a position to say it even by the sign of the head. If a person is not in a position even to say it by sign till his death or more than six prayers have elapsed in this state, Salat is no more a commanded for him. So, the provision for the compensation of Salat is like this that if missed Salats relate to a period when one had the ability to say them, compensation in the event of death may be paid only in respect of such Salats.

Q.   Is it permissible for one person to fast on behalf of another person who missed a certain number of commanded fasts and died without redeeming them?

  No, fasting by another man will not absolve the dead person of his accountability. The surviving member of the family can nevertheless pay the compensation money for him.