O Muslima, We Still Have Time to Gain Award of Make up Missed Days of Ramadan (Qadha Shaum)

Assalamu’alaikum warahmatullahi wabaraakatuuh

My dear akhuwaty muslimah, soon is Ramadan, the blessed month is coming. We are now in the

Masjid Nabawi, Madinah by AA Sumadri
Masjid Nabawi, Madinah by AA Sumadri

middle of Rajab . Do we have made up (Qadha shaum) the fasts that we missed during last Ramadan?

Fasting is one of the five pillars of Islam, an obligation binding upon all those who identify themselves as Muslims. Allah (SWT) says in Quran (Al- Baqarah: 183):

“O believers, Fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become Al-Muttaqun (the pious)”

In a famous hadith, Jibril ‘alayhissalam came to the Prophet pbuh in the shape of a man with white clothes and asked him to inform him about Islam. In response, the Prophet pbuh said:

“Islam is to bear witness that no one is God except Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, performing Prayer, paying Zakat, performing Pilgrimage if you are able, and Fasting in the month of Ramadan”.

Some of us, not fasting because of illness, traveling, menstruation, pregnancy, during childbirth and so on. So, we still have time to make up before Ramadan’s coming, we still have time till month of Sya’ban. Don’t ever forget to make up our fasting.

In Surah Al-Baqarah, Allah said: “But if any of you is ill, or on a journey, the prescribed number (of Ramadan days) should be made up from days later. For those who cannot do this except with hardship is a ransom: the feeding of one that is indigent…. Allah intends every ease for you; He does not want to put you to difficulties….” ( Al- Baqarah:184-185).

If someone is temporarily sick or has a condition that resolves later (such as flu or pregnancy), one should make up each day of Ramadan missed with day of fasting later, a day for a day, at any other time of year. These days need not be continuous. One should try to make up these days as soon as it is possible for fasting to resume, but certainly before the beginning of the next year of Ramadan.
If someone has a chronic health condition that is not expected to resolve, one should share in charity enough to feed one person for each day of the fasting month

If someone deliberately breaks the fast, or misses a day of fasting for no legitimate reason, it is also necessary to make up the missed day later. In the case when someone breaks the fast by engaging in sexual intercourse, one must also perform a penalty: fasting 60 continuous days, or feeding 60 poor people.

If a sick person or a traveller fast and withstand the hardships of the fast, and continue to fast while feeling the hardship, their fast will be valid but disliked, for they did not accept the concession Allah gave him, thereby causing himself much hardship.

Rasulullah Shalallahu ‘alayhi wasallam said: “Allah loves to give allowances just as He hates that you commit sins” and in another narration “just as He love to give His obligations” [Ibn Hibban and others; Sahih].

Rasulullah Shalallahu ‘alayhi wasallam also said: “It is not righteousness to fast during a journey”. [Bukhari and Muslim].

Ibn Abbas said, “Rasulullah Shalallahu ‘alayhi wasallam traveled in the month of Ramadan and he fasted till he reached (a place called) ‘Usfan, then he asked for a tumbler of water and drank it by the daytime so that the people might see him. He broke his fast till he reached Mecca.” Ibn Abbas used to say, “ Rasulullah Shalallahu ‘alayhi wasallam fasted and sometimes did not fast while traveling, so one may fast or may not (on journeys)” [HR.Bukhari].

Making up missed days of Ramadan (qadha shaum) is an obligation that need not be fulfilled immediately because the time for fulfilling is very wide and one may perform it at any time. This is also the case with the fast of expiation. It has been authentically reported that ‘Aishah would make up her missed days during the month of Sha’ban (the month preceding Ramadhan), and that she did not perform them immediately even if she had the ability to do so.

O Muslima, we still have time to gain award of make up missed days of Ramadan, so start from today, don’t delay it again. Ramadan is coming soon. May Allah bless our day. Allahumma Aamiin.

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