Islamic Fiqh > Fasting > Making up (qada) the days of Ramadan
Making up missed days: the obligation, haste, continuity, combining with voluntary fasting, and the case of one who dies or delays.
Each missed day of Ramadan is made up by one fasting day, at any time of the year: scattered is lawful, but consecutively is preferable, on "then a count of other days" (al-Baqara 185). The menstruating woman and the one in lochias make up the fast without making up the prayer (al-Bukhari 231, Muslim 335), and blood appearing for a single instant breaks the day. Fasting a voluntary day before the make-up is disliked according to the most held view. One who dies while able to make up: the majority imposes feeding one poor person per owed day from his estate, fasting on his behalf remaining valid according to some (al-Bukhari 1952, Muslim 1147).
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Updated on 07 October 2026 at 6:42 PM
The menstruating woman and the one in lochias: the fuqaha agree that fasting is not permitted to them, even a voluntary fast, and that the make-up is due from them. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "Is it not that when she has her menses she neither prays nor fasts? (al-Bukhari 304). Aisha said: "We had our menses in the time of the messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him): we were ordered to make up the fast and were not ordered to make up the prayer" (al-Bukhari 231, Muslim 335).
If the blood appears for a single hour of the day, that day's fast is broken and the make-up obligatory, by consensus reported by an-Nawawi, Ibn Jarir and Ibn Qudama.
The 4 schools agree: the make-up of Ramadan counts fasted on scattered days, and consecutively is preferable, on "then a count of other days" (al-Baqara 185): this fast is not tied to a precise time. The consecutive way is better as it shows haste to fulfil the obligation. Fasting voluntary days before making up: the Hanafis, a Maliki opinion and a Hanbali narration allow it without dislike; the Malikis' most held view, the Shafi'is and a Hanbali narration dislike it. Malik was asked: may one fast Ashura before making up Ramadan?
He said: "That does not please me; rather fast it as a make-up"; to Ibn Wahb: "No".
May one fast the 6 days of Shawwal intending the owed make-up? The Hanafis divide: Abu Yusuf judges the intention serves the make-up and voids the voluntary (the obligatory being stronger), Imam Muhammad judges it remains voluntary and does not count. The Malikis and the Shafi'is allow sharing the intention: fasting 6 days with the intention of the owed make-up and the hope of reward.
First case: the excuse lasted until death (ongoing illness, travel, menses, pregnancy, nursing): the 4 schools agree that nothing is due from him; none fasts nor feeds on his behalf, for the obligation vanished with the incapacity, like hajj. A Hanbali narration prefers feeding on his behalf.
Second case: he broke with an excuse, the excuse ceased, he could make up and died without doing so: the majority (Hanafis, Malikis, Shafi'is in the sound view, Hanbalis in the madhhab) impose feeding one poor person per owed day from his estate, and fasting on his behalf is not valid, delegation not existing in his lifetime. Al-Shafi'i in the old school (an-Nawawi's choice) and Abu al-Khattab among the Hanbalis judge that the guardian may fast in his place: his fast is valid and discharges the estate, without being obligatory upon him, on the hadith: "Whoever dies owing a fast, his guardian fasts in his place" (al-Bukhari 1952, Muslim 1147), and a man's question: "My mother died owing a month of fast, shall I make it up for her? He said: yes. Allah's debt deserves more to be repaid" (reported by al-Bukhari).
The make-up is done freely across the year, preferably consecutively, keeping in mind that owed days take precedence over voluntary ones according to the majority. For a deceased person, the simple rule held by most: feed one poor person per missed day from his estate.
Al-Mughni by Ibn Qudama · Hanbali school
And Abu Hanifa, Malik and al-Shafi'i said: fasting is preferable for the one who has the strength for it. This is reported from Anas and Uthman ibn Abi al-As. They argued by what was reported from Salama ibn al-Muhabbaq: the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "Whoever has a mount that carries him to abundance, let him fast Ramadan wherever he meets it". Abu Dawud reported it. And because the one given the choice between fasting and breaking, fasting is preferable to him, like the voluntary act. And Umar ibn Abd al-Aziz, Mujahid and Qatada said: the better of the two options is the easier one, according to the word of Allah, the Most High: "Allah desires for you ease".