In a Hadeeth on the authority of ‘Aa’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, she said that the Messenger of Allah, , said: “Whoever died and ought to have fasted (the missed days of Ramadan), one of his relatives, male or female, who is entitled to inherit him should fast on his behalf.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]
In a Hadeeth on the authority of Ibn ‘Abbaas, may Allah be pleased with him, he said that a man came to the Prophet, , and said, “My mother died and she ought to have fasted one month. Shall I fast on her behalf?”’ The Prophet, , said:“If your mother was in debt, would you pay off her debt?”The man replied in the affirmative. The Prophet, , then said:“The debt of Allah has more right to be paid off.”[Al-Bukhari and Muslim]
Another narration reads: “A woman came to the Prophet and said, ‘My mother died and she had vowed to fast but she did not fast. Shall I fast on her behalf?’ He said:‘If your mother had died in debt and you had paid it off on her behalf, would not that have freed her from liability?’She replied in the affirmative. He then said:‘Then, fast on behalf of your mother.’” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]
In a Hadeeth on the authority of Buraydah, may Allah be pleased with him, he said,
While I was sitting with the Messenger of Allah a woman came to him and said, “I had given my mother a bondmaid as a charity, and now she (the mother) has died.” Thereupon he (the Prophet ) said: “There is a definite reward for you (for giving that charity) and she (the bondmaid) has been returned to you via inheritance.” She (that woman) asked, “She ought to have fasted a month; should I fast it on her behalf?” He (the Prophet ) said: “Fast it on her behalf.” She (again) asked, “She never performed Hajj, should I perform it on her behalf?” He (the Prophet ) said: “Perform Hajj on her behalf.”[Muslim]
Rulings and benefits
First: Physical acts of worship, in principle, cannot be performed by delegation or proxy, but fasting and Hajj are excluded from this rule. Al-Haafith Ibn ‘Abdul-Barr said, “With regard to prayers, according to the consensus of scholars, it is not permissible for a person to pray on behalf of another alive or dead person either an obligatory or voluntary prayer. Similarly, it is impermissible to fast on behalf of a living person. Scholars unanimously agree on this and there is no difference in this regard. However, the early and later scholars held different opinions regarding the person who dies while having to fast some missed days.”
Second: If a person dies while having to make up for missed days of fasting of Ramadan; then his case falls under one of two cases:
First: He died before being able to fast either because he died before having the time to fast such days or for an excuse, such as illness, traveling or being unable to fast. The majority of scholars say that there is nothing upon that person.
Second: He died after having had the chance to make up for the missed days of fasting. According to the Sunnah, one of his relatives who are entitled to inherit him should fast on his behalf.
Third: Thepermissibility of freeing the dead person from his obligations by his relatives or others. However, if the relative who is not an heir, or the person who is not a relative, fasts on his behalf, it will still be permissible, just like paying off debts. Shaykhul-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah said, “The Prophet likened this fasting to the debt which the dead had to pay. If anyone pays off such a debt, then, it will be valid. This then proves the permissibility of fasting on behalf of the dead person by anyone and not only the children.”
Fourth: It is not obligatory to fulfill the vow of the dead person just as it is not obligatory for the dead person’s heirs to pay off his debt (from their own money); however, they can voluntarily do this to free him from liability.
Fifth: If many persons fast on behalf of the dead person to make up for the missed days of fasting so that each one fasts a day; then, their fasting will be valid unless it is such a fasting that requires succession such as the expiation of Thihaar (a type of divorce) and killing. In such cases, one person should fast these days successively on behalf of the dead person.
Sixth: If none volunteers to fast on behalf of the dead person, his heirs can feed a needy person for each missed day of fasting even if it is from the estate of the dead person.
Seventh: Fasting would be invalid if the heirs hired someone to fast on behalf of the dead person because it is not valid to hire people to perform the acts of obedience (whether they are obligatory or voluntary).
Eight: If a person vows to fast the month of Muharram and then dies in before that in Thul-Hijjah, none should fast on his behalf because he did not live to witness that month when it would have become obligatory for him to fulfill his vow - just like the person who dies before the coming of Ramadan.
Ninth: Whoever has to make up for some missed days of Ramadan and wants to fast on behalf of a relative must first make up for the days that he had missed and then fast on behalf of his relative.
Tenth: The sounder opinion is that succession is not a condition in making up for the missed days of fasting. However, it is better to make up for them successively because this is the way of offering the fasting of Ramadan.
Eleventh: The day of‘Eed does not interrupt the succession of fasting the two successive months.