Q: Is it permissible to fast on behalf of a deceased person, if he did not fast Ramadan in his life time though he paid Kaffarah (expiation) before his death?
A: His relatives may fast on his behalf if he was a Muslim offering his prayer as the prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said: “If anyone dies while he had to make up for some days missed of the obligatory fasting, his heir should fast on his behalf.” Agreed upon by Al-Bukhari and Muslim. But if he did not fast out of inability, senility, or illness that is not expected to be cured, he will not have to fast and the food he fed the needy would be enough if he fed them for all the days he missed
but if he did not offer prayer, then it would not be accepted from a person to make up for these days as abandoning prayer deliberately is Kufr (disbelief) as viewed by scholars to be the correct opinion, as the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said: “That which differentiates us from the disbelievers and hypocrites is our performance of Salah. He who abandons it becomes a disbeliever.” Related by Imam Ahmad, Abu Dawud, Al-Tirmidhy, Al-Nasa'y and Ibn Majah with an authentic chain of narration from Buraydah ibn Al-Hasib (رضي الله عنه).The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) also said: “The peak of the matter is Islam; the pillar is Salah; and its topmost part is Jihad (Fighting/Struggling in the Cause of Allah).” Related by Imam Ahmad and Al-Tirmidhy with an authentic chain of narration from Mu'adh ibn Jabal (رضي الله عنه).The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) also says: “What makes one a disbeliever and a polytheist is abandoning prayers.” Reported by Imam Muslim in his Sahih on the authority of Jabir ibn ‘Abdullah (رضی اللہ عنھم).There are many Hadiths in this regard. May Allah guide all Muslims to what pleases Allah and assists them to do what Allah makes obligatory on them such as prayer and other things in the way that He likes. Truly, He is All-Hearer, Ever Near (to all things).
[Majmoo’al-Fataawa Ibn Baaz, Vol. 15; pp. 361 – 362]
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