I was making up for the fast of one of the missed days of Ramadan. During the day, I felt exhausted and broke my fast. What is the ruling on this? Is it only obligatory upon me to fast this day again or should I make up for the day on which I broke my fast as well? Is it obligatory upon me to offer an expiation or not?

All perfect praise be to Allaah, the Lord of the worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.

If a person starts an act of worship such as fasting or prayer, then, according to a group of Muslim scholars, it is obligatory to complete it if it is supererogatory. This is even more required if it is obligatory in itself, such as making up missed fasts of Ramadan.

It is not permissible for a Muslim individual to break his fast when making up for missed days of Ramadan or other obligatory fasts unless there is a sharia-approved excuse that allows him to do so. Whoever does this is sinful for interrupting the obligatory worship without an excuse and because this implies taking the matter of worship lightly.

The Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said to Umm Haani’ when she was fasting and broke her fast: “Were you making up anything (an obligatory fasting)?” She said: “No.” He, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: “Then it does not matter if you were observing a voluntary fast. Hence, if one is observing an obligatory fast and breaks it without a sharia-approved excuse, he will be blamed for this (i.e. he is sinful).

Accordingly, we hope that feeling exhausted to such an extent that it makes it hard for you to complete your fast is a valid excuse that allows breaking the fast without incurring a sin on your part, Allaah willing. However, if it is just a normal type of exhaustion, then no fasting is free of it. Rather, no act of worship is free from it, and thus it is not a valid excuse that allows you to break the fast.

Anyway, you have to repent to Allaah Almighty and only fast one day. No expiation is due for breaking the fast while making up for missed fasts although such an expiation is due for breaking the fast in Ramadan. Expiation is obligatory on the one who violates the sanctity of Ramadan as it was said by Al-Baaji in Al-Muntaqa, where he quoted what Imam Malik said in Al-Muwatta’:

I heard people of knowledge say that no expiation is obligatory upon the one who breaks a fast when making up missed days of Ramadan. Instead, he is required to make up for the day that he missed in Ramadan, and according to me, this is the best opinion I have ever heard in this regard.

In conclusion, you have to repent to Allaah Almighty and make up for the day of Ramadan on which you broke your fast.

Allaah Knows best.