"Be a Good Muslim" is a book dedicated to spreading knowledge about Islam and exploring a multitude of topics within the faith. The author's aim is to offer readers a comprehensive overview of various aspects of Islam while sharing their understandi...
With Ramadan just a few weeks away, how many of us have caught up on the fasts we needed to make up before this year’s fasting month begins? Are you in a bit of a state of panic, like some of us here
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Don’t worry – there is still time to make up however many days you missed last year before we get to the halfway-point in the month of Sha’baan (when it’s recommended that we don’t fast until Ramadan begins).
Consider this your friendly reminder to finish your make up fasts while there is still time to do so!
TIPS FOR MAKING UP YOUR MISSED FASTS BEFORE RAMADAN
Know your goal and commit
As you may already know fasting outside of Ramadan is a very different experience. It lacks the amazing sense of community and feeling of oneness with the ummah. Life gets busy and we also forget sometimes. So it can feel very isolating to make up those fasts outside of Ramadan.
“Allah intends ease for you, not hardship, so that you may complete the prescribed period and proclaim the greatness of Allah for guiding you, and perhaps you will be grateful.”
-Quran 2.185
Just set your goal by calculating how many days you need to fast and know that Allah swt will make it easy for you. Make your intention. You can do it inshaAllah.
I always find it helpful to track my goals on paper. Download this simple missed fast tracker to help you track your goal vs progress.
2. Strategically plan for which days to fast
My strategy is simple. I want to fast at least the 2 Sunnah days of the week – Monday and Thursday. This way, you can do 8 fasts a month, and knock off 88(11 months outside of the month of Ramadan) missed fasts in one year.
Sometimes, it may not be possible to fast every single week due to travel, work and other commitments. Make a goal to fast at least 75 days per year until you are caught up. I know many also target to fast on the al ayyam al beed, the white days which are 13th, 14th, and 15th of each Islamic month in the lunar calendar. Only you can plan which days you can fast. Decide and stick to the plan.
. Take advantage of the cooler and shorter winter days
Winter is one of the best time to develop ourselves spiritually! Shorter days to fast, longer nights to worship. You can warm up the days and nights by worshiping Allah swt and fast extra days during winter months.
4. Find a buddy who needs to make up her fasts
Find someone you know who also wants to make up their fasts. It is so encouraging when others are doing it too with you. Motivate each other, meet for iftars and create a sense of sisterhood. If you can’t find someone near you, find someone virtually on social media groups and team up to make up your fasts.
May Allah give us the ability to make up all our missed fasts. May He accept all our efforts and fasts, and allow us to experience the joy of this upcoming Ramadan. Ameen.
Not fasting for a reason
If you did not fast for a reason, such as sickness or travelling, or menstruation in the case of women, then you must make it up after Ramadan, and you must make up the number of days that you did not fast, because Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“and whoever is ill or on a journey, the same number [of days which one did not observe Sawm (fasts) must be made up] from other days.” [al-Baqarah 2:185].
‘Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: That (i.e., menstruation) would happen to us and we would be told to make up the fasts, but we were not told to make up the prayers. (Narrated by al-Bukhari (321) and Muslim (335)
When to make up missed fasts
The time for making up the fasts lasts until the next Ramadan begins; you can make them up at any time during this period, on consecutive days or separately .
It is not permissible for one to delay making them up after the following Ramadan, unless he has an excuse.
Not fasting with no excuse
But if you did not fast deliberately, with no excuse, then one of two scenarios must apply:
You decided not to fast from the night before, and you did not intend to fast. In this case making up the fast is not valid, because fasting is an act of worship that is linked to a specific time, and if a person fails to do it, it is not valid after that time, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever does an action that is not in accordance with this matter of ours will have it rejected. (Narrated by al-Bukhari (2697) and Muslim (1718)
You did intend to fast from the night before, and you started the day fasting, then you broke your fast during the day with no excuse. You have to make up for this day, because you started to do it, which makes it like a vow that you must fulfil.
There is no reason for the delay, such as when a person was able to make up the fasts but he did not do so before the following Ramadan began.
This person is sinning by failing to make up the fasts with no excuse.
السلام و علیکم ورحمتہ اللہْ Remember me in ur dua's Allah's slave, Till then AllahHafiz..
