Dear respected Shaykh, assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh. An old woman fasted the first days of Ramadan. However, she became sick and could not fast the remainder of Ramadan. She also could not make up for the missed fasts until the next Ramadan because she died of sickness. Is it permissible to fast on her behalf and feed the poor in expiation? May Allah reward you. مرضت وتوفيت قبل تمام الشهر فماذا عليها؟

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 the woman did not recover from her illness, and could not fast because of a curable disease, then nothing is due from her or her heirs. However, if her illness was chronic then she should have fed one poor person for each missed day of fasting. If she did not feed the poor in expiation then her heirs should do so using the funds from her estate.   Dr. Khalid al-Mosleh 29/10/1424