Question Summary:
I had my baby during the month of Ramadan, and was therefore not able to fast during the holy month. I would like to know in what ways am I to make up for those missed fasts? Do I have to fast the 30 days of missed fasts before the next Ramadan?

Question Detail:

I had my baby during the month of Ramadan, and was therefore not able to fast during the holy month. I would like to know in what ways am I to make up for those missed fasts? Do I have to fast the 30 days of missed fasts before the next Ramadan? Or can I feed the poor for the amount of days that I missed? And if so, how much should I put aside for each day of a missed fast? Please also provide for me a hadith or ayah that supports the answer, because I have many friends in a simlar situation as I am. Thank you.

Answer :

In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful
Assalaamu `alaykum waRahmatullahi Wabarakatoh
If you gave birth in Ramadan, then it was not compulsory for you to fast during the Nifaas (after birth bleeding). You do have to make up for their fasts.
If you did not fast before giving birth, that was permissible. However, you will have to make up for those fasts before giving birth. You may keep those fasts anytime in the year. You cannot give fidya for those fasts if you can fast. If your nifaas finished before the end of Ramadan, then you have to fast. If you did not fast then you will have to make qaza for those fasts as well.
And Allah knows best
Wassalam
Mufti Ebrahim Desai
Darul Iftaa, Madrassah In'aamiyyah