Missed fasts due to pregnancy and nursing.
Q. I would like to know how much money or food do I have to give to a person or a family in Ramadan due to some fasts which I missed (about 15 days) because I was pregnant and also nursing my baby.
A. If you have missed Ramadhan fasts in the past, then it is essential upon you to make qadha of these fast when you have the ability to do so in the future. It is not allowed to give fidya (redemption) for such missed fasts when one has the ability to make up for them.
As such, the fasts you have missed due to pregnancy or nursing the baby shall be made up (as qadha) at a later time and fidya (redemption) will not be given for these. This is the fatawa (religious verdict) of the majority of scholars of the past and present including the grand Mufti of Makka and Madina.
The feeding of food or giving money to the poor for missed fasts (which is known as fidya/redemption) is for those who have missed the Ramadhan fast due to weakness of old age or sickness with no hope of recovering until death. It is not an option given to those who have the ability to observe the fast.
With respect to the amount to be given in fidya, it is the same amount as the sadaqatul fitr. At present the sadaqatul fitr is calculated in money to be $15.00 TT.
And Allah knows best.
Mufti Waseem Khan