Do We Need to Fast on behalf of the Deceased?

Answered by Mawlana Ilyas Patel

Question

If one passes away and missed some days in Ramadan from previous years every now and then due to travel. Do we need to fast on this person’s behalf? Note, he already paid his fidya and made intentions to fast the missed days from previous years, but didn’t get the chance?

Answer

In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate.

I pray you are in good faith and health. Thank you for your question.

If the deceased had the opportunity to fast and neglected to do so. In this case, if the deceased made a bequest (wasiyya) that the outstanding fasts are paid from his inheritance, then it will be carried out by the heirs and taken out from one-third of his total inheritance. If no bequest was made, then the heirs, out of their own money, can give the fidya on behalf of the deceased. [Marghinani, al-Hidaya]

Fasting on Behalf of Deceased

This will be the interpretation of the following hadith that the heirs will give fidya on behalf of the deceased and will not physically themselves do qada of the fasts on behalf of the deceased.

Our Mother ‘Aisha (Allah be pleased with her), narrates with the chain from ‘Amra bint ‘Abdur Rahman saying, “I ask ‘Aisha saying, ‘My mother died, and she owes fasts for Ramadan, is it right for me to make them up for her?’ She replied, ‘No. Rather to give in place of each day of fasting, charity is better than your fasting.” [Tahawi]

Rulings of Fidya

Finally, it should be borne in mind that the fidya is in exchange for the fast the terminally ill person cannot keep, and not for any other reason while he is alive.

Finally, you can give the fidya according to the rate of this country or to the country you are sending the fidya to. If you are planning to give the recipients of the fidya money then the amount of sadaqa fitr will be given for each fast. However, if you are planning to feed the poor, then you will need to feed them two meals a day. [Ibn ‘Abidin, Radd al-Muhtar]

I would like you to go through the valuable answers and links below. You will receive guidance and direction, in sha’ Allah.

Related:

• What Is the Reasoning behind Paying the Fidya for Missed Fasts of the Deceased?
• Expiation for missed fasts Archives
• Donating Reward to the Dead: A Detailed Answer

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I pray this helps with your question.
Wassalam,
[Mawlana] Ilyas Patel
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Mawlana Ilyas Patel is a traditionally trained scholar who has studied in the UK, India, Pakistan, Syria, Jordan, and Turkey. He started his early education in the UK. He went on to complete the hifz of the Quran in India, then enrolled in an Islamic seminary in the UK, where he studied the secular and ‘Aalimiyya sciences. He then traveled to Karachi, Pakistan. He has been an Imam in Rep of Ireland for several years. He has taught hifz of the Quran, Tajwid, Fiqh, and many other Islamic sciences to children and adults onsite and online extensively in the UK and Ireland. He taught at a local Islamic seminary for 12 years in the UK, where he was a librarian and a teacher of Islamic sciences. He currently resides in the UK with his wife. His interest is a love of books and gardening.