A woman, during her early years of obligation, intentionally broke her fast in Ramadan without knowing that expiation was required. She was aware that her fast was invalid and that she needed to make up for it. Is expiation required from her, or is making up the fast sufficient? Additionally, if she delayed making up the fast from those years, does she also owe expiation for the delay?
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1 Answer
Peace be upon you and God's mercy and blessings.
Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Sistani (may God protect him):
The obligation of expiation applies to those who are aware that their actions invalidate the fast. It also applies, with caution, to those who are ignorant but negligent and uncertain about the invalidity of their fast. However, for those who are genuinely ignorant or negligent without uncertainty, no expiation is required. It is important to note that knowledge of the obligation of expiation is not a condition for its requirement.
Thus, if she was aware that her actions invalidated her fast, expiation is required even if she did not know that expiation was obligatory.
Regarding the expiation for delay, if someone misses Ramadan or part of it without a valid excuse and does not make it up until the next Ramadan—regardless of the reason—they must make up the fast and, as a precaution, also pay the expiation.
Source: Nihaj al-Salihin, Book of Fasting, Chapter 5: Expiation for Fasting + Issue 1051
Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Khamenei (may God protect him):
Deliberately breaking the fast during the day in Ramadan without a valid excuse invalidates the fast and necessitates making it up, and it also requires expiation for the intentional breaking of the fast, whether one is aware of the obligation of expiation or not.
If someone did not fast in Ramadan intentionally and did not make up what they missed without a valid excuse until the next Ramadan, they must, in addition to making up the fast and expiation for the intentional breaking of the fast, also pay an expiation for each day of delay (as previously mentioned) to the poor.
Source: Risalah al-Salat wa al-Sawm, Issue 879 + Issue 929
May you be successful in all good.