What Is the Ruling for Intentionally Breaking One’s Ramadan Fasts?

Answered by Mawlana Ilyas Patel

Question

If one intentionally broke a fast during previous Ramadans when not practicing and out of ignorance regarding the consequences, what is the ruling or expiation for this?

Answer

In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate

I appreciate your concern about your past actions, where you didn’t fulfill the obligatory fasts of Ramadan. Firstly, you should repent to Allah (Most High) and ask for His forgiveness. This is a debt you owe to Allah (Most High).

Related Ruling

In the situation described, one expiation (kaffara) is enough for one or several major violations in previous Ramadan fasts.

One does not need to perform a separate expiation for each occurrence. One single expiation will be sufficient as a penalization and future deterrence. [Shurunbulali, Maraqi al-Falah]

I hope this helps.

[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 completed the hifz of the Quran in India, then enrolled in an Islamic seminary in the UK, where he studied the secular and Alimiyyah 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 Qur’an, 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 in the UK for 12 years, where he was a librarian and a teacher of Islamic sciences.

He currently resides in the UK with his wife. His personal interest is his love of books and gardening.