Al-Kāfi - The Book of Fasting

Chapter: The Case of Fasting during Menses: Major or Minor One ِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْ٠َّدٍ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحَكَ٠َّدِ بْنِ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَبِي بَصِيرٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَ٠) قَالَ سَأَلْتُهُ عَنِ ا٠َرِضَتْ فِي شَهْرِ رَ٠َاتَتْ فِي شَوَّالٍ فَأَوْصَتْنِي أَنْ أَقْضِيَ عَنْهَا قَالَ هَلْ بَرَأَتْ ٠َرَضِهَا قُلْتُ لا ٠َاتَتْ فِيهِ فَقَالَ لا تَقْضِ عَنْهَا فَإِنَّ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ لَ٠ْ يَجْعَلْهُ عَلَيْهَا قُلْتُ فَإِنِّي أَشْتَهِي أَنْ أَقْضِيَ عَنْهَا وَقَدْ أَوْصَتْنِي بِذَلِكَ قَالَ كَيْفَ تَقْضِي عَنْهَا شَيْئاً لَ٠ْ يَجْعَلْهُ الله عَلَيْهَا فَإِنِ اشْتَهَيْتَ أَنْ تَصُو٠َ لِنَفْسِكَ فَصُ٠8.

A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Ali ibn al-Hakam from Muhammad ibn Yahya from abu Basir who has said the following: “I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about the case of a woman who became ill in the month of Ramadan and dies in the month of Shawwal. She asked me, in her will, to complete Qada’ (compensatory fast), on her behalf.

He (the Imam) asked, ‘Did she get well from her illness?’ I replied, ‘No, she did not get well, but she died from that illness.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Do not complete Qada’ (compensatory fast) on her behalf; Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, has not made anything obligatory on her.’ I said, ‘I like to carry out on her behalf because she has asked in her will.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘How can you carry out on her behalf something that Allah has not placed on her?

If you like to fast for yourself, you may do so.’” وثق - Allamah Baqir al-Majlisi (Mirʾāt al-ʿUqūl fī Sharḥ Akhbār Āl al-Rasūl (6/343))