Someone who dies owing fasts

A question about someone who dies owing fasts, in which Jordan's General Iftaa Department answered that someone who died before being able to make up the days owes nothing, while for someone who died after being able, one mudd of food per day is paid from his estate, and his heir may fast on his behalf. ¹

The questioner asked about the ruling on someone who dies while owing fasts. ¹

The Department answered that someone who died before being able to make up the fasts, such as a person whose excuse continued until death, owes no make-up, no fidya, and bears no sin. ¹ It said that if he died after being able to make them up, what he missed must be remedied by paying one mudd of food from his estate for each day, relying on a hadith reported by al-Tirmidhi about feeding on behalf of the dead. ¹ It added that his heir may fast on his behalf, relying on a hadith reported by al-Bukhari and Muslim, with another version adding 'if he wishes', and concluded that both feeding and fasting on his behalf are permitted. ¹

Jordan's General Iftaa Department published this fatwa on aliftaa.jo as no. 4157, dated 2 February 2026. ¹ The museum records this text as a historical document attributed to the body or scholar that issued it; it issues no ruling of its own.