Question
Reference number: 142224 | Fasting | Feb. 1, 2023
What is the ruling if a chronically patient wants to pay ransom instead of fasting the month of Ramadan?
Answer
Praise Be to Allah and Peace Be Upon His Messenger
There are different groups of people who are allowed not to fast the month of Ramadan. A senior who becomes weaker and whose health is retarded and the chronically patient who will be never cured provided that fasting causes fatigue.
Allah says: “but if any of you is ill or on a journey, the same number (should be made up) from other days. Ad as for those who can fast (with difficulty, e.g. old man) they have (a choice either to fast or) to feed a poor person (for every day) Al-Baqarah: 184.
The food that should be offered to the poor as ransom should be equal to the food that average people consume.