Dear respected Shaykh, assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh. What is the ruling of a person who deliberately leaves fasting in Ramadan? أفطر في رمضان متعمدا

Praise be to Allah, and may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah, his family and his companions.   Wa alaikum assalam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh.   As to what follows:   In response to your question, we say:   If a person deliberately leaves fasting, he should repent to Allah the Exalted. The majority of the scholars say, “He should make up for those days”. This is the opinion of the four Imams; that he should  compensate for those days. They based their opinion on some proofs. A group of scholars are of the opinion that making up for the missed days is beneficial, and it should not be said that making up for the missed days is not incumbent upon him, because he is still liable. However, making up for the missed days does not help him in covering and compensating the deficiency that has occurred, because he has left fasting  for no reason, and it has been stated in the hadith of Abu Hurairah as stated by al-Bukhari in a mu’alaq mode (i.e., without mentioning the chain of narrators), that: “Whoever did not observe Saum (fast) for one day of Ramadan without genuine excuse or a disease, then even if he observed Saum (fast) for a complete year, it would not compensate for that day,” [al-Bukhari: CHAPTER. Whoever has a sexual intercourse with his wife in Ramadan, (intentionally, he has to pay expiation). (3/99)], that is even if he fasts for a year (he will not compensate for that day). Some scholars say that the word ad-dahr used in the hadith means a year. Others said that it means the whole life.  It was said that, “Whoever does not fast for a day for no valid reason should fast one thousand days to make up for it”. Other opinions besides these were stated.   What is meant-and this is the second opinion-is that this is not beneficial (in regaining the virtue of the missed day), and what is meant is not fasting for a day to make up for the missed day, rather, Allah the Exalted permitted making up for a missed day of fasting if the day was missed because of a valid excuse. Allah the Exalted said, “and whoever is ill or on a journey, the same number [of days which one did not observe Saum (fasts) must be made up] from other days” [al-Baqarah 2:185]. However, this is conditional and applies to the state of sickness and travel. As for a situation where there is no reason for not fasting, how can such a person fast one day to make up for the missed day. Thus, the scholars said, “This does not benefit him.”  They laid down a rule for that which is: Every act of worship which a person neglects by performing it outside its legally stipulated time for no reason, it will not be beneficial to perform it afterwards, like if a person says, “I have a holiday now and in Ramadan I will be busy. Therefore, I will fast Ramadan now.”  According to the consensus of the scholars no one says that this is permissible. This same applies to praying before the stipulated time.  Likewise performing any act of worship outside its due time is not beneficial according to these scholars. This opinion has basis and strength.   So what is the way out in such situations? What should the person do? He should sincerely repent to Allah, and do many good deeds, and perform the act of worship that he neglected many times; If it is prayer, then he should pray very much. If it is fasting, then he should fast for many days.  This second opinion is closer to the truth. And Allah knows best.