Fatwa #1434119 June 2006Australia
a person who is too old to do qaza of fasts, and also has a little money - not sifficient for fidya of all the missed fasts
Question
Answer
Allah mentions in the Qur’aan, ‘That person who sees the month of Ramadhaan must fast.’ (Baqarah pg.185).
It is one of the 5 pillars of Islam and is considered a grave sin to leave it out intentionally. If, due to negligence or weakness a person does not fast, it is Fardh on him to make Qadhaa of these missed fasts together with making sincere Tawbah. If a person is unable to make up the missed fasts, he has the alternative of giving one needy person 2 meals for each missed fast. The only suggestion that can be made is to send money to a poorer country where it will cost less to feed the people. It is necessary to either fast or feed the poor as per the above method. No other laternative has been stated in the Shari’ah.
and Allah Ta'ala Knows Best
Mufti Ebrahim Desai