Dear respected Shaykh, assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh. What is the ruling of the woman who delayed in making up for missed days in Ramadan until the next Ramadan came? أخرت القضاء حتى أدركها رمضان

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:     As for the woman who could not fast to make up for missed days in Ramadan because of a (valid) reason; there is nothing due from her except making up for the missed days, according to the unanimous  opinion of the scholars.  Allah the Exalted said, “And upon those who are able [to fast, but with hardship] - a ransom [as substitute] of feeding a poor person [each day]” [al-Baqarah 2: 184],and the other verse says, “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], and there is nothing due from her except this.   The issue of feeding the poor according to the majority of the scholars, is applicable if  a person was negligent in delaying to make up for the missed days, but was this delay because of a reason? If the delay was for a reason then according to the unanimous opinion of the scholars there is nothing due from the woman except making up for the missed fasts. If the delay in making up the missed fasts was for no reason then the majority of the scholars are of the opinion that she should make up for the missed days and feed poor people in relation to the number of missed days. A group of scholars held that it is incumbent to make up for the missed days of fasting and feeding the poor for the missed days is Sunnah.  This is the preponderant opinion that feeding the poor is not compulsory, rather, it is recommended and Sunnah because it has been transmitted on the authority of  Abu Hurairah, ibn ‘Umar and a number of the companions of the Prophet (may Allah be pleased with them).