Making Up Fasts

Answered by Ustadh Tabraze Azam

Question: Assalam alaykum

Last Ramadan, I missed 10 fasts due to an illness. Do I have to make
them up before this coming Ramadan 2019 and will I be sinful if I
don`t?

Answer: Wa alaikum assalam wa rahmatullah,

No, you do not need to make up your missed fasts from last year before this Ramadan.

Though it is ideal and proper to take care of your missed duties right away, especially in the case of remissness, there is no penalty for delaying them. Accordingly, fasting voluntary fasts would be acceptable.

Of course, it would be superior to fast the makeups (qada’) before the subsequent Ramadan if possible, in lieu of the difference of opinion on the matter, but it is not binding to do so.

(al-Halabi, Multaqa al-Abhur; Ibn ‘Abidin, Radd al-Muhtar ‘ala al-Durr al-Mukhtar)

Please also see this answer and this answer.

And Allah Most High knows best.

[Ustadh] Tabraze Azam

Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Ustadh Tabraze Azam holds a BSc in Computer Science from the University of Leicester, where he also served as the President of the Islamic Society. He memorised the entire Qur’an in his hometown of Ipswich at the tender age of sixteen, and has since studied the Islamic Sciences in traditional settings in the UK, Jordan and Turkey. He is currently pursuing advanced studies in Jordan, where he is presently based with his family.