Making up (qada) the days of Ramadan

The principle: one day for one day

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.

In advance, scattered or consecutive?

The four 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".

The shared intention between make-up and voluntary

May one fast the six 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 six days with the intention of the owed make-up and the hope of reward.

One who dies owing days

First case: the excuse lasted until death (ongoing illness, travel, menses, pregnancy, nursing): the four 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).

Practical note

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.