Qada al-Sawm

Qada al-Sawm is making up a missed Ramadan fast day for day, once the excuse that caused the missed fast has passed.

What it means for me: Missing a fast for illness, travel, or menstruation is not itself the problem this term addresses; it is what comes after. Qada al-Sawm tells you the fast is owed later, not lost, and it is due before the next Ramadan arrives.

Example: A woman misses six days of Ramadan due to her monthly cycle. Once Ramadan ends, she fasts six other days at a time of her choosing, before the next Ramadan begins.

Do not confuse with: Fidyah, a feeding payment. Qada al-Sawm fits an excuse expected to lift, so the same act is simply done later. Fidyah fits an excuse that is not expected to lift at all.

If scholars differ: Scholars differ on what a person owes, beyond the fast itself, if they delay qada without excuse until the next Ramadan arrives. A well-known related difference concerns pregnancy and nursing: some scholars require qada alone, others fidyah alone, and others both together.