And because it is a breaking of the fast due to a self that is incapable by way of nature, an expiation is required for it, like the very elderly person. Their report did not address the expiation, so it remained dependent upon evidence, like the make-up (qada'), for the hadith did not address it, and the sick person is in a lighter condition than these two, because he breaks his fast due to himself. If this is established, the required amount for feeding a poor person is one mudd of wheat, or half a sa' of dates or barley. The disagreement regarding it is like the disagreement regarding the feeding of the poor in the expiation for sexual intercourse. If this is established, then the make-up is binding upon both of them. Ibn 'Umar and Ibn 'Abbas said: There is no make-up upon them, because the verse encompasses them, and it contains nothing but feeding, and because the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: "Indeed, Allah has relieved the pregnant and nursing woman of the fast." Our position is that they are both able to make up the fast, so it is binding upon them, like the menstruating woman and the woman in post-partum bleeding. The verse mandated the feeding and did not address the make-up, so we derived it from another piece of evidence. The intent behind relieving the fast is its relief during the period of their excuse, as it came in the hadith of 'Amr ibn Umayyah, from the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him: "Indeed, Allah has relieved the traveler of the fast." They are not like the very elderly person, because he is incapable of making up the fast, whereas they are capable of it. Ahmad said: I follow the hadith of Abu Hurayrah. He means that I do not hold the opinion of Ibn 'Abbas and Ibn 'Umar regarding the negation of the make-up.

503- Issue: He said: (And if one is incapable of fasting due to old age, he shall break his fast, and feed a poor person for every day.)

The sum of this is that the very elderly man and the elderly woman, if fasting exhausts them and causes them severe hardship, they may break their fast and feed a poor person for every day. This is the opinion of...