Can A Person Who Cannot Fast Be Relieved Of The Debt Of Fasting By Paying The Ransom For The Days She Could Not Fast?

Does a person who is healthy enough to observe fasting be freed from the debt of fasting by giving fidyah for the days s/he did not fast?

Giving fidyah for fasting is only valid for old people who are not able to fast and the sick without possibility of recovery. The practice of the Prophet Muhammad (saw) and his companions shows that the expression of “For those who can do it (With hardship), is a ransom, the feeding of one that is indigent” (Baqarah, 2/184) in the Holy Qur’an about fidyah covers only the aforementioned persons. In this regard, there is no ruling for fidyah about those who do not observe fasting although they can, or those who are not able to fast due to a temporary cause (Muslim, Siyam, 149,150).

Those who do not observe fasting without a valid excuse must perform qada for them and repent to Allah. According to Hanafis, also if the old who are not able to observe fasting and the sick without the possibility of recovering must perform qada for unobserved fastings if they become healthy enough later even if they have already paid fidyah for unobserved days. In such cases, the fidyah paid before does not cover for the debt of fasting (Kasani, Bada’i, II, 105; Marghinani, al-Hidayah, II, 270).

Source: Presidency Of Religious Affairs The Turkey, High Board of Religious Affairs FATWAS