Sheikh Ismail says that last Ramadan, his doctor told him to break his fast for the entire month because he was ill, and he only made up for it by feeding the poor.

This Ramadan, he fasted, praise be to Allah. He is asking about last Ramadan: does he have to make it up?

As for the one who breaks his fast for a day or days in Ramadan, we say: his situation is one of two cases. The first case is if he is able to fast.

Meaning, he is able to fast, and his fasting is to ward off a temporary illness.

That is, an illness that is expected to be cured, like a temporary illness, for example, a surgical operation or abdominal pain or something similar, but it goes away after a month or two and the person returns to normal. We say he must make it up.

And it is not allowed for him to substitute feeding the poor for making up the fast. He must make it up, and there is no difference of opinion about this.

For this reason, Allah, Verheven en Hoog is Hij, says in His great Book: "then a number of other days," meaning that a person must make up the missed days if he was ill or traveling.

So a number of other days to make up those days, not to feed. As for the one whose illness is permanent.

The one whose illness is permanent, his illness is ongoing, and the type of illness that some people have prevents them from fasting at all times, and this is usually the case.

Some illnesses for which there is no hope of recovery, such as severe high blood pressure.

Or severe diabetes, where a person cannot endure without.

Something like adjusting their insulin or blood pressure medication, and if they stop, they might faint or something similar. I do not say that in such a case it is a permanent illness.

In this case, he must feed the poor, and he does not have to make up the fast.

He does not have to, he must make up the fast. His situation is that as long as he fasted the entire Ramadan, this means he was able, and the illness was temporary.

Therefore, we say: the feeding he did before is considered a charity, not an expiation, so he must make up the missed days, and nothing more is required of him. And Allah knows best.

All praise is due to Allah.