Fidyah for a breastfeeding mother

With reference to your query, please be informed as follows:

1. A woman who, on account of breastfeeding, is unable to fast or finds it difficult to fast, is not obliged to fast.
2. Whether or not fidyah needs to be given depends on the person on account of whom she did not fast:
   • If her fear was that by fasting she would cause harm to herself, or to both herself and her child, then she must pay in the missed day, and no fidyah needs to be paid.
   • But if she feared harm to her child only, and no harm to herself, then this is where the Madhāhib differ:
     • The Shāfiʿī madhhab states that she would in this case have to both make up for the missed day, and pay fidyah.
     • The Ḥanafī madhhab only requires her to make up for the missing day, with no fidyah to be given.

و الله تعالى أعلم

And Allah knows best.

MT Karaan