If Continuity in the Expiation for a Fast Is Broken by Illness

Question

Kaffara (expiation) becomes binding for deliberately breaking fasts of the blessed Ramadan after having begun them. One alleviation in this kaffara is already known: if someone began and broke several fasts of one blessed Ramadan, or fasts of several Ramadans, the kaffaras merge (tadakhul) and one kaffara suffices, provided the kaffara is performed after all the fasts have been broken. What I wish to learn is whether there is any other alleviation in this matter.

Answer

Compared with the kaffara for zihar, the kaffara for a fast has one more alleviation: for the fasting of two consecutive months, the kaffara for zihar also carries the condition “before touching” (qabl al-mass), whereas the kaffara for a fast has no such condition. Continuity (tatabu'), however, is necessary in every case: only the days of menstruation (hayd)

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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