Missing a Fast in Ramadan Intentionally

Question

Missing a Fast in Ramadan Intentionally: What Should Be Done?

Bottom Line

Deliberately missing a fast in Ramadan without an excuse is a major sin. The majority of scholars say you must repent and make up the missed day.

Quick Answer

Breaking or skipping a Ramadan fast deliberately is a grave violation of a pillar of Islam. The majority of scholars, including the four madhhabs, obligate both repentance and making up the fast. Some scholars, like Ibn Taymiyyah and Ibn ʿUthaymīn, said making up is not valid since its time has passed, but only repentance and voluntary fasting remain. The safer and stronger opinion is to repent and make up the missed days.

Key Takeaways

• Ramadan fasting is a pillar of Islam; neglecting it deliberately is a major sin.
• Valid excuses (illness, travel, menses) require make-up later with no sin.
• Safer path: repent, make up the fasts, and increase in voluntary fasting.

Detailed Answer

Fasting during Ramadan is among the five pillars of Islam. Allah says:

“…and whoever is ill or on a journey, the same number of days which one did not fast must be made up from other days.” Qur’an 2:185

If a person misses fasting due to a valid excuse, scholars agree they must make up the day later.

But if one deliberately misses a fast without excuse, this is a major sin. The Prophet ﷺ said:

“Whoever breaks one day of Ramadan without concession or illness, even if he fasted for it for all time, it would not make up for it.” Sunan al-Tirmidhi 723

The majority of scholars (Hanafi, Maliki, Shafi‘i, Hanbali) said such a person must both repent and make up the missed day. Ibn Qudāmah stated in al-Mughnī that the obligation remains until performed.

Ibn Taymiyyah and Ibn ʿUthaymīn held that making up is not valid, since the worship’s time has passed, and only repentance and voluntary fasting remain. However, Ibn Bāz and others insisted the safer view is to make up the days and repent sincerely.

What This Means for You

If you deliberately missed a fast in Ramadan, repent sincerely and make up the day. Alongside that, an increase in voluntary fasts (like Mondays, Thursdays, and Ayyām al-Bīḍ) to draw closer to Allah. This combines the strength of both scholarly views.

And Allah knows best.

References

Primary Sources

Qur’an

1. Al-Baqarah 2:185: Make up fasts when missed for a valid excuse.

Hadith

2. Sunan al-Tirmidhi 723: Breaking one day of Ramadan cannot be compensated even with lifelong fasting.

Secondary Sources

3. Ibn ʿAbd al-Barr, al-Istidhkār, 1/77 – Consensus on making up missed fasts.
4. Ibn Qudāmah, al-Mughnī, 4/365 – Obligation remains until fulfilled.
5. Al-Nawawī, al-Majmūʿ, 6/261 – Commentary on fasting rulings.
6. Ibn Taymiyyah, al-Ikhtiyārāt al-Fiqhiyyah, p. 460 – View that only repentance is valid, no qada.
7. Ibn ʿUthaymīn, Majmūʿ al-Fatāwā, 19/89 – Similar to Ibn Taymiyyah’s position.
8. Ibn Bāz, Majmūʿ Fatāwā, 15/188 – Safer view: both repentance and making up.