Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
If a woman is pregnant and does not fast, but gives the fidya to the poor, does she still have to make her missed prayers? there are so many people out there who tell me that if you give the money you don’t have to make up the fasts.
Walaikum assalam,
I pray this finds you in the best of health and spirits.
[1] It is established that unperformed fasts (whether with or without excuse) are obligatory to make up. Giving the expiatory payments (fidya) does not lift the duty of making up the fast. (Ibn Abidin, Radd al-Muhtar)
[2] One only leaves fasting due to pregnancy or nursing if there is good reason to fear harm for the mother or baby–based on experience; or reliable Muslim medical opinion (or a non-Muslim’s medical judgment that confirms for one that there is “good reason to fear harm); or clear and unmistakable signs. (ibid)
What one should do is attempt to fast, while taking the means to be able to (in terms of fulfilling one’s nutritional and other needs in the night hours). Then, if one finds any undue difficulty therein, one should stop. If this happens a few times, one can assume one is unable to fast, unless circumstances change.
And Allah alone gives success.
Wassalam,
Faraz Rabbani.