القضاء والفدية

Three things not to confuse: • Making up (qaḍaa'): fasting a day later for each day missed. • Fidya: feeding a poor person for each day, when one will not be able to make it up. • Kaffaara: the heavy expiation, for breaking the fast through marital relations (and, according to some schools, by eating deliberately); see lesson 3.

Who makes up? Someone who was ill and then recovered, the traveller, the woman who had her period or post-natal bleeding, and anyone who broke a day without excuse (with repentance). Allah says: "let him fast an equal number of other days" (2:184).

When? Before the next Ramadan. 'A'isha said: "I would have days of Ramadan to make up, and I could only make them up in Sha'baan." (Bukhari 1950, Muslim 1146). The sooner the better, because no one knows what lies ahead in their life.

Consecutively or separately? The verse simply says "other days". Most scholars allow making up separate days; some prefer consecutive days [À VÉRIFIER].

And if the next Ramadan has passed without excuse? For the majority (Maliki, Shafi'i, Hanbali), one makes up the days and adds a fidya for each delayed day; for the Hanafi school, making up alone is enough [À VÉRIFIER]. With an ongoing excuse (illness, close pregnancies…), one makes up as soon as possible, with no extra fidya.

Fidya. For whom? The elderly person who can no longer fast and the person with a lasting illness with no hope of recovery. Allah says: "And for those who could only bear it with great hardship, a compensation: feeding a poor person" (meaning of 2:184) [TEXTE ARABE À INSÉRER : sourate 2:184, passage « وَعَلَى الَّذِينَ يُطِيقُونَهُ فِدْيَةٌ طَعَامُ مِسْكِينٍ »]. Ibn 'Abbaas explained that this verse concerns the old man and the old woman who cannot fast (Bukhari 4505). How much? A meal, or a quantity of food, for one poor person, for each day. The quantity differs between schools (for example one mudd according to the Malikis and Shafi'is, half a ṣaa' according to the Hanafis) [À VÉRIFIER]. The centre announces an indicative amount per day each year [À VÉRIFIER : montant du centre].

The pregnant or breastfeeding woman. Three known views: make-up only; make-up and fidya (especially if she did not fast out of fear for the child); fidya only (a view reported from Ibn 'Abbaas and Ibn 'Umar) [À VÉRIFIER]. The imam will tell you the view taught at the centre, according to your situation.

A deceased person who owed days. "Whoever dies owing days of fasting, his relative fasts on his behalf." (Bukhari 1952, Muslim 1147). Some schools take this hadith literally; others ask instead for a poor person to be fed for each day [À VÉRIFIER]. Discuss it with the imam.

Understanding the lesson

Explanation This lesson distinguishes three notions that look alike but do not apply to the same people. Making up concerns someone who will be able to fast later. Fidya concerns someone who will not be able to. Kaffarah is an expiation for a specific fault. Telling them apart avoids paying when one should fast, or fasting when one cannot.

The account of 'A'ishah, who made up her days in Sha'ban, also has practical and human value: having days to make up is normal, even for the best of believing women. There is no shame in it.

In practice, it is useful to note each year the number of days missed and the reason, then plan the make-up days well before the next Ramadan.

The most debated questions (delaying the make-up, the amount of fidya, pregnant or breastfeeding women, days owed by someone who has died) are the subject of differing opinions among the schools. The course presents them without deciding: each personal situation deserves to be put to the imam.

Lessons to draw from it • Note each year the days missed and the reason, so as not to forget them. • Make up the days as early as possible, without waiting until just before the next Ramadan. • Don't confuse making up, fidya and kaffarah: each has its own situation. • For particular cases (pregnancy, breastfeeding, someone who has died, delay), ask the imam's opinion.

Key points to remember • Making up (qada'): for someone who will be able to fast; fidya: for someone who will not; kaffarah: expiation for a specific fault. • Days are made up before the next Ramadan (Bukhari 1950, Muslim 1146). • The schools differ on delay, the amount of fidya, pregnant or breastfeeding women and the deceased.

The main message Allah has provided a solution for every situation: we make up if we can, feed a poor person if we cannot, and ask for advice when in doubt.