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?

Allah the 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. [Al-Baqarah: 185]

The Messenger of Allah said, "Islam has been built on five: testifying that there is no god but Allah and that Mohammed is the Messenger of Allah, prayers, zakat, hajj and fasting Ramadan."

Allah 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 Allah the Almighty Who says, Anyone who is ill or on a journey should make up for the lost days by fasting on other days later.[Al-Baqarah: 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 one 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

The inquirer must make up her missed fast days of Ramadan. It is not obligatory to fast them consecutively—she may fast them separately. She must also feed a poor person in compensation for each missed fast day.

Allah the Almighty knows best