If a person misses fasts in Ramadan due to a valid reason, such as menstruation or travel, it becomes obligatory to make them up before the next Ramadan arrives. Allah says: “And whoever is ill or on a journey – then an equal number of other days.” (2:185). This establishes the obligation of qaḍā’ (making up the missed fasts).

If someone delays making up those fasts until the next Ramadan comes without a valid excuse, then they have sinned by delaying. However, the missed fasts themselves do not fall away. They must still be made up.

The scholars differed regarding whether fidyah (feeding a poor person per missed day) must also be paid in addition to making up the fasts. The Hanafi school holds that only qaḍā’ is required, even if the delay was without excuse, and no fidyah is due; rather, sincere repentance should accompany the make-up fasts. The Maliki, Shāfiʿi, and Hanbali schools hold that if a person delays making up the fasts until the next Ramadan without a valid excuse, they must both make up the fasts and feed one poor person for each day delayed.

The stronger opinion in evidence is that only making up the fasts is obligatory and fidyah is not strictly required, because Allah only mentioned making up missed days in the Qur’an and did not mention feeding as an additional penalty for delay. Acts of worship cannot be made obligatory without clear evidence. However, the majority of scholars did add fidyah as a penalty for such delay, so if a person is financially able to feed a poor person for each missed day, doing so would be a good and precautionary act.

Accordingly, you must make up the missed fasts as soon as reasonably possible after Ramadan and repent sincerely for the delay by feeling remorse and resolving not to postpone again. If you are able to give fidyah in addition, it is praiseworthy according to the majority, but the core obligation remains making up the fasts.