Fidyah Kaffarah
If you’ve missed any fasts out of necessity and cannot make up the lost days afterwards, you’re required to pay fidyah.
For any fasts missed unnecessarily, you’ll need to pay kaffarah.
Fidyah
When someone cannot fast in Ramadan and can’t make up the lost days afterwards (for example, due to ill health or pregnancy), then they should pay for someone else to be fed. This is known as fidyah.
You will need to pay Fidyah for not fasting when you have good reasons for breaking your fast, and you cannot make up the fast at a later date, such as in the following cases:
- Pregnant women who are unable to fast.
- People with chronic illnesses, including mental illnesses.
- People who experience short-term illness over the month of Ramadan.
- People who need to continue taking their medication.
- Elderly people who cannot fast.
أَيَّامًا مَّعْدُودَاتٍ فَمَن كَانَ مِنكُم مَّرِيضًا أَوْ عَلَىٰ سَفَرٍ فَعِدَّةٌ مِّنْ أَيَّامٍ أُخَرَ وَعَلَى الَّذِينَ يُطِيقُونَهُ فِدْيَةٌ طَعَامُ مِسْكِينٍ فَمَن تَطَوَّعَ خَيْرًا فَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَّهُ وَأَن تَصُومُوا خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ إِن كُنتُمْ تَعْلَمُون
“for days few in number. However, should any one of you be sick or on a journey, then (he should fast) a number of other days (equal to the missed ones); and those who have the strength, (still, they do not opt for fasting,) on them there is a fidyah (compensation), that is, the feeding of a poor person. Then whoever does good voluntarily, that is better for him. However, that you fast is better for you, if you only knew.”
(Qur’an 2:184)
Kaffarah
A person is obligated to make a monetary charitable contribution for any fasts missed unnecessarily. A person who is unable to discharge the Kaffarah because of ill-health or very old age, will have to feed 60 poor persons two full meals for the day or the amount in cash which is given as Sadqah Fitr. We suggest this to be $5 per person per day, and $300 to feed 60 people.
Examples of when to Pay Kaffarah:
- Intentionally eating food or drinking water.
- Masturbation or sexual intercourse during fasting.
- Intentionally making yourself throw up.
- Planning or intending to deliberately miss fasts.
- Deliberately hurting yourself or any other person or animal.
That price is based on the average cost of a basic meal throughout US. if on average, you spend more per meal, it is permissible to adjust the price accordingly. In addition, if the donor is from a low-income family, he or she should then care for the family’s needs first before considering giving a separate fidya donation.