One who is unable to fast due to old age.

Q; Asalam aleykum waramatulah wabarakatul,,saum maqbul and ramadhan karim..may Allah(SWT)be praised for making us make it to this ramadhan,there are many who did not make like my father..

Wanted to ask a question...

What about an old man who can not fast and he is living in extreme poverty so can not afford to feed people..what does the law provide..?jazakallahu kheiran...

A; All-Praise is due to Allah,

It is stated in Sharh 'U'mdat al-Fiqh, (294-295/4): 

The fourth type is the person who is incapable of fasting because of old age or an incurable disease. In this case you should feed one poor individual per day. End of quote.

The evidence to this is narrated by Al-Bukhaari on the authority of Ibn A'bass who recited the following verse:

"... And for those who can fast [but do not], there is a ransom: the feeding of person in need."

[al-Baqarah: 2/184].

Then he said it has not been abrogated, this ruling applies to elderly men and women who are not able to fast. Instead, they must feed one poor person for each day they do not fast.

So at the time of Iftar if this man can invite someone and provide them with a meal to break their fast with, then this should be suffice. 

And Allah knows best...