Pregnant wife unable to make up days remaining from Ramadhaan
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Question: In the year 1409h (1988), my wife did not fast for fourteen days due to her menses. Afterwards, she was able to fast for seven days and she had seven days left (to make up). Now, she is six months pregnant. I seek your assistance, is it enough to make an expiation for the remaining days (she needs to make up)? What should I do? May Allaah reward you.

Response: It is obligatory that your wife make up the days left from the Ramadhaan in which she did not fast due to her menses. If she delayed making these days up until the arrival of the next Ramadhaan without a valid, Islaamic reason, then she has to make those days up together with making expiation for each of the days left. The expiation will take the form of feeding a poor person for each day (left to make up), half a measure of dates or barley or that which is similar to this from the food of the people or else, a number of poor people according to the days left to make up. However, if the delay was due to pregnancy or an illness, then there is nothing more required of her except making up the days (missed or left).

And with Allaah lies all the success, and may Allaah send prayers and salutations upon our Prophet Muhammad (sal-Allaahu `alayhe wa sallam) and his family and his companions.

The Permanent Committee for Islaamic Research and Fataawa, comprising -
Head: Shaykh 'Abdul 'Azeez ibn Abdullaah ibn Baaz;
Deputy Head: Shaykh 'Abdur-Razzaaq 'Afeefee;
Member: Shaykh 'Abdullaah Ibn Ghudayyaan;
Member: Shaykh 'Abdullaah Ibn Qu'ood
Fataawa Ramadhaan - Volume 2, Page 583, Fatwa No.568;
Fataawa al-Lajnah ad-Daa.imah lil-Buhooth al-'Ilmiyyah wal-Iftaa. - Fatwa No.13545