Must I Fast 180 Days as Expiation for 3 Broken Fasts?

Answered by Ustadh Tabraze Azam

Question: 1. I broke 2-3 fasts without any valid reason during the month of Ramadan at about age 17 in ignorance. Do i have to have 180 fasts continuously as expiation?

2. For about 2-3 Ramadans I served dates to those who fast in the Masjid and the residue stuck to my palms.  While made wudu before Iftar I used to unintentionally get the taste of dates in my mouth from the residue on my hand ? Did that invalidate my fast.  If yes, will I have to make up fasts for all 2-3 Ramadans and fast 60 days for every invalidated fast?

3. If i have to have 60 fasts for each broken fast without valid reason, will i have to have to fast continuously or are the breaks allowed in between.

Answer: Wa alaikum assalam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh,

I hope you are in the best of health and spirits, insha’Allah.

[1] You only need to perform a single expiation. This is 60 successive days of fasting which don’t contain Ramadan, Eid al-Fitr, nor Eid al-Adha and the three days after it. [Shurunbulali, Maraqi al-Falah; `Ala al-Din `Abidin, al-Hadiyya al-`Ala’iyya]

[2] No, such tasting would not invalidate your fast. Thus you do not need to make up these fasts.

[3] In summary, you will need to perform a single expiation and make up every fast you broke. It would be best to make up such broken fasts as soon as reasonably possible.

And Allah alone gives success.

Wassalam,

Tabraze Azam

Checked & Approved by Faraz Rabbani

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