Difference between Kaffarah and Fidyah

[ummtaalib]

Q. Is there any difference between Kaffarah and Fidyah?

 

A. There is a difference between Kaffarah and Fidyah.

 

The term Kaffarah refers to the penalty upon a person who intentionally breaks his fast for no valid Shari’ reason by either eating, drinking or engaging in conjugal relations during the fast of Ramadaan. In the case of Kaffarah becoming obligatory on a person, a person will have to fast for 60 days consecutively. If a person cannot fast for 60 days consecutively due to a valid Shari’ reason, for e.g., old age or a chronic illness, then he would have to feed 60 poor people two full meals a day, or feed one poor person two full meals a day for 60 days. The average type of a meal is 1.6kg of wheat or flour or its value. (Maraaqil Falaah 1/250/1)

 

The term Fidyah refers to the compensation paid by a person who is terminally unable to fast due to chronic ill health or old age in lieu of the fast of Ramadaan. If there is hope of recovering the missed fasts in the future, then Fidyah may not be given and Qadha is obligatory. If there is no hope of recovering the missed fasts in the future, Fidyah will be paid for every fast of Ramadaan.

 

The Fidyah amount per fast is 1.6kgs of wheat or flour or its value. The Fidyah amount is currently R20.00 per fast in Kwa-Zulu Natal, South Africa.

 

Fidyah per each individual fast or the entire month of Ramadaan may only be given after the commencement of Ramadaan. It may be given to a poor Muslim over a period of thirty days; or to thirty Muslims in one day; or the entire amount may also be given to one Muslim in one day. (Shaami 2/74)

 

And Allah Ta’ala Knows Best

 

Mufti Ismaeel Bassa

 

Confirmation: 

Mufti Ebrahim Desai

 

(Islamic rulings on this Q&A newsletter are answered in accordance to the Hanafi Fiqh) 

 

Fatwa Department

Jamiatul Ulama (KZN)

[ummtaalib]

Kaffarah for several Ramadhaans

 

 

Q: If a person broke fasts at least once over several Ramdhaans during their youth, do they have to give kaffara just once for all the Ramdhaans or do they have to give kaffara seperatly for each year?

A: The prefered opinion in the Hanafi mazhab in regard to discharging the kaffarah for breaking one's fast is as follows:

If the fast was broken during several Ramadhaans due to having relations then a separate kaffarah is necessary for each Ramadhaan. However if the fast was broken during several Ramadhaans due to eating or drinking, one kaffarah on behalf of all will suffice.

And Allah Ta'ala (الله تعالى) knows best.

ولو تكرر فطره ولم يكفر للأول يكفيه واحدة ولو في رمضانين عند محمد وعليه الاعتماد بزازية و مجتبى وغيرهما واختار بعضهم للفتوى أن الفطر بغير الجماع تداخل وإلا لا (الدر المختار 2/ 413)

قال الشامي : قوله ( وعليه الاعتماد ) نقله في البحر عن الأسرار ونقل قبله عن الجوهرة لو جامع في رمضانين فعليه كفارتان وإن لم يكفر للأولى في ظاهر الرواية وهو الصحيح اه قلت فقد اختلف الترجيح كما ترى ويتقوى الثاني بأنه ظاهر الرواية (رد المحتار 2/ 413)

Answered by:

Mufti Zakaria Makada

Checked & Approved:

Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Isipingo Beach)

[ummtaalib]

Does a 60 day fasting penalty apply one when a fast is not kept

 

Q. If I did not keep Ramadaan fasts at all in the past, do I have to keep 60 fasts for each fast or each Ramadaan missed? How do I make up for it?

 

 

A. If one did not fast at all, then only one Qadha fast has to be made for each missed fast. There is no 60 days penalty.

 

The 60 days penalty is only if one kept the fast and broke it without a valid reason in Shariah. In addition to the 60 days penalty, one Qadha fast must be kept as well. (Maraaqil Falaah 247)

 

And Allah Ta’ala Knows Best

 

Mufti Ismaeel Bassa

 

Confirmation: 

Mufti Ebrahim Desai

 

(Islamic rulings on this Q&A newsletter are answered in accordance to the Hanafi Fiqh) 

 

Fatwa Department

Jamiatul Ulama (KZN) 

Council of Muslim Theologians