Fidyah & Kaffarah

Who May Be Required to Give Fidyah?

This may include:

• Elderly people who are no longer able to fast.
• People suffering from chronic illness with no reasonable expectation of recovery that would enable them to fast.

If an illness is only temporary and a person is expected to be able to fast again, the obligation is generally to perform Qada’, rather than immediately replacing the missed fast with Fidyah.

Fidyah is not an option for replacing fasting at one’s own discretion. It applies only in circumstances recognised by Islamic law.

Differences Between the Madhhabs

The Hanafi, Maliki, Shafi‘i and Hanbali schools recognise the principle of Fidyah for those who are permanently unable to fast.

However, there are differences in certain matters, including:

• the amount of Fidyah;
• delayed Qada’;
• pregnant and breastfeeding women;
• the method and timing of payment.

In the Shafi‘i school, an elderly person or someone suffering from an illness from which recovery is not expected, leaving them unable to fast, is required to give Fidyah for each day missed.

More complex cases should be referred to those qualified in Islamic jurisprudence.

Kaffarah for Breaking an Oath

فَكَفَّارَتُهُۥٓ إِطْعَامُ عَشَرَةِ مَسَـٰكِينَ

“…then its expiation is the feeding of ten people in need…”

Surah al-Ma’idah, 5:89

The Kaffarah for breaking an oath may be fulfilled by:

1. Feeding 10 people in need; or
2. Providing clothing to 10 people in need; or
3. Freeing a slave.

If a person is unable to fulfil any of these options, then they must:

Fast for three days.

Not Every Oath Requires Kaffarah

لَا يُؤَاخِذُكُمُ ٱللَّهُ بِٱللَّغْوِ فِىٓ أَيْمَـٰنِكُمْ

“Allah will not hold you accountable for your unintentional oaths…”

Surah al-Ma’idah, 5:89

Therefore, not every utterance of an oath automatically results in Kaffarah.

Consideration must be given to the intention, the nature of the oath, and whether it was truly a binding oath.

Kaffarah for Zihar

The Kaffarah for Zihar differs from the Kaffarah for breaking an oath.

According to Surah al-Mujadilah, verses 3–4, the Kaffarah for Zihar must be fulfilled in a prescribed sequence, rather than by choosing freely between the available forms.

A person cannot freely choose between these three forms of Kaffarah.

A Simple Comparison

In short, Kaffarah for Zihar follows a compulsory sequence, whereas Kaffarah for breaking an oath provides a choice at the first stage.

Other Types of Kaffarah

Kaffarah may also relate to:

• breaking an oath;
• Zihar;
• certain violations relating to the Ramadan fast;
• and other circumstances prescribed by Islamic law.

Each type of Kaffarah has its own conditions and method of fulfilment.

Therefore, Kaffarah cannot be regarded as a single fixed payment that applies to every situation.

Kaffarah and Fasting in Ramadan

There are differences of opinion among the schools of Islamic jurisprudence.

Generally, the Shafi‘i and Hanbali schools restrict the major Kaffarah relating to the Ramadan fast to particular circumstances, such as sexual intercourse while observing the Ramadan fast.

The Hanafi and Maliki schools have broader detailed rulings concerning certain forms of deliberately invalidating the fast.

It is therefore necessary to establish how the fast was invalidated before determining whether a person is required to perform Qada’, Kaffarah, or another obligation.