Paying the Fidya for Prayers and Fasts

Question

Hinda, in old age, was ill for five months — from Jumada al-Akhira to the middle of Shawwal — with paralysis [and] fever, and then died. During this period she never had any relief. The prayers of those days were missed by her, and she could not keep the fasts either. However, for the first two of these months she remained completely unconscious, and for the rest of the period the state of her awareness was such that she recognised those who visited her, asked for food and water, but was not at all aware of…

Answer

In the case described, making up (qada’) the fasts was not wajib upon her; therefore the fidya did not become wajib either. As for the prayers whose time she found while retaining awareness to such a degree that she could pray by gestures (isharah), and which she then did not pray — neither on time (ada’) nor as make-up (qada’)

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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