Does expiation (kaffarah) become obligatory upon my mother, who vowed to fast six days of Shawwal 36 years ago and has continually observed it, but is now ill and unable to fast?
Source: FtawySummary from Ftawy's records · added here Sep 2, 2026
If the one who made a vow is unable to fulfill it, she must offer expiation for breaking an oath (kaffarat ), which is feeding ten poor people or clothing them. If she is unable to do that, then she must fast for three days, based on the Prophet's (peace and blessings be upon him) saying: "The expiation for a vow is the expiation for an oath." If she recovers after that, she should make up those days and then resume her vow. If many days passed her by, she is required to offer one expiation for all of them. And if anything else passes her by after that, she must make up those days without expiation.
Summary from Ftawy's records · added here
Reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
Read the full answer on Ftawyhttps://ftawy.com/en/questions/93045
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- Original fatwa ID
- 93045
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