Question Summary:
What should I do about missed fasts?

Question Detail:

I am 17 year in age and my deen has been very weak.. I never used to fast in ramadhan and i broke a lot fasts. I do not know the amount of fasts i broke or the amount i missed. What do i need to do?

Answer :

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.
At the outset, we would like to commend you for your effort in trying to practice upon Deen and that you have realized the importance of the injunctions in Shariah. May Allah Ta’ala grant you steadfastness.
Based on our understanding of the information given in the query, you have neglected the obligation of fasting in the month of Ramadhan, thus, you are required to observe qadha fasts in order to compensate for the missed fasts of Ramadhan.
In order to make up for the missed fasts, you must calculate the number of months of Ramadhan you have missed from the age of maturity. If you are not able to come to an exact number, you may make an estimation of how many months of Ramadhan you have missed. Once you have done so, begin making up the fasts.
According to Shariah, a person is regarded to be baligh (mature) from the time he/she experiences adulthood. If by the age of fifteen he/she does not experience adulthood, Shariah will consider such a person as baligh (mature).
Considering that you are seventeen now, you must have missed at least two Ramadhan fasts.
The method which you will adopt for, is that for every missed Ramadhan, make the intention that this is the fast of the first month of Ramadhan that was missed. Once you have completed one month of Ramadhan, you may continue with this intention until you have total conviction that you have completed all the qadha fasts of Ramadhan.[[i]] Upon completion of one month of fast you may begin with the next month whenever you wish.
However, if your statement “I broke a lot fasts” refers to deliberately breaking the fasts during Ramadhan (i.e. by eating, drinking, etc.), then you are required to compensate with one kaffarah (expiation)[ii] in addition to the qadha fasts.
Kaffarah is to observe fast for sixty consecutive days. However, if one experiences a menstrual cycle during the course of kaffarah, one will not have to recommence the sixty days. [iii]
Seek tawbah and forgiveness from Allah Ta’ala for the missed fasts of Ramadhan.
 
And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best
Fahad Abdul Wahab
Student Darul Iftaa
U.S.A
Checked and Approved by,                                                                                    Mufti Ebrahim Desai                                                                                                                                      
www.Daruliftaa.net