Fasting: Doctor Advised Against Fasting — Later Found to Be Wrong: Is Kaffārah Required?

Practical Laws of Islam as per the teachings of Imam Khamenei

Fasting: Doctor Advised Against Fasting — Later Found to Be Wrong: Is Kaffārah Required?

English:

Question #819:

A physician told a patient that fasting is harmful for his health. However, after a few years, he realized that fasting was not harmful for him and the physician was wrong in excusing him from fasting. Does he have to pay kaffārah in addition to performing qaḍā’?

Answer #819:

If he had refrained from fasting due to fear for his health based on an experienced and reliable physician’s diagnosis or some other reasonable basis, he has only to perform the qaḍā’ of the missed fasting.

-Imam Khamenei, Practical Laws of Islam, Importance and Conditions of Fasting