The inquirer has never made up the days she refrained from fasting due to menstruation and only started to make up them up three years ago. She is now 33 years old. What is she to do? Should she make up her missed fast days for the past period?

God Almighty ordained the fast of Ramadan on every adult and sane Muslim. He says, “So everyone of you who is present that month should fast” (Quran 2: 185).

The Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him), "Islam has been built on five: testifying that there is no deity but God and that Mohammed is the Messenger of God, prayers, zakat, hajj and fasting Ramadan.”

God has forbidden a woman in menstruation or postnatal bleeding to fast and even if she does, her fast is not counted. This is because a woman in menstruation or postnatal bleeding is classified under the ill due to the words of God Almighty Who says, “Anyone who is ill or on a journey should make up for the lost days by fasting on other days” (Quran 2: 185).

Whosoever refrains from fasting for an excuse such as an illness, traveling, menstruation, or postnatal bleeding must make up the missed fast days when the excuse ceases. But if the excuse ceases to exist and it is possible for one to make up the fast but does not before the upcoming Ramadan, one is to make up these days in addition to feeding a poor person two meals in compensation for each missed fast day.

The ruling

God Almighty knows best.