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Fidya and Kaffarah in Islam

Fidya (Arabic: فدية, "ransom") and Kaffarah (كفّارة, "expiation") are two distinct categories of monetary or physical compensation prescribed by the Quran and Sunnah. Fidya is the substitute when one cannot perform an obligation permanently (e.g. a chronically ill person who cannot fast Ramadan). Kaffarah is the heavier expiation for actively breaking a religious obligation — a deliberately broken fast, a violated oath, or the pre-Islamic formula of zihar.

Fidya for Missed Fasts

Allah says in Surah Al-Baqarah (2:184): "And upon those who are able [to fast, but with hardship] — a ransom [as substitute] of feeding a poor person…" Classical scholars apply this verse to the elderly, the chronically ill, and pregnant or nursing women in certain conditions, who cannot reasonably make up missed fasts. The fidya is one mudd of staple food (≈ two modest meals) per missed day, given to one poor person.

Kaffarah for a Broken Oath (Kaffarah al-Yamin)

Allah specifies in Surah Al-Ma'idah (5:89): "Its expiation is the feeding of ten needy people from the average of that which you feed your families, or clothing them, or freeing a slave. But whoever cannot find [or afford it] — then a fast of three days [is required]." The believer chooses one option. If none of feeding, clothing, or freeing is possible, then three consecutive days of fasting are required.

Kaffarah for a Deliberately Broken Fast

Reported in Sahih al-Bukhari: a man broke his fast deliberately in Ramadan with his wife. The Prophet ﷺ instructed him: free a slave, else fast 60 consecutive days, else feed 60 poor people. The order is strict — a believer must attempt each option in turn. Most contemporary scholars consider freeing slaves inapplicable today, leaving the two remaining options. This kaffarah is in addition to making up the missed day.

Kaffarah for Zihar

Zihar is a pre-Islamic Arabian formula in which a husband declared his wife "as my mother's back" (i.e. unlawful to him). The Quran condemns this practice in Surah Al-Mujadilah (58:1-4) and prescribes the same threefold expiation as the deliberately broken fast: freeing a slave, then 60 consecutive days of fasting, then feeding 60 poor people — and explicitly forbids resuming marital relations until expiation is complete.

Calculating the Amount

The expiation is anchored in local cost of feeding a poor person — what it would cost in your city to feed one person two reasonable meals. This calculator pre-seeds estimates for major cities worldwide, but you may always set a custom value reflecting your local food prices. Some scholars allow paying the cash equivalent directly to a trusted organization that distributes meals on your behalf.

The classical measure is one mudd of staple food per missed day — roughly the volume of food a person can hold in their two cupped hands. In modern terms this is the cost of two modest meals for one person, not a luxury restaurant meal. The Ramadan guide notes that the Prophet ﷺ encouraged simplicity in food, both during fasting and in the expiation that substitutes for it.

Who Qualifies — and Who Does Not

Fidya is for those whose inability to fast is permanent, not temporary. According to most scholars, the following situations call for fidya rather than making up the fasts later:

• The chronically ill, where doctors confirm there is no realistic prospect of recovery.
• The frail elderly, for whom fasting would cause genuine harm.
• In the Hanafi and some other schools, the pregnant or nursing woman who fears for the child — though many scholars prefer she make up the fasts when able, paying fidya only if she cannot.

If your inability is temporary — a curable illness, a journey, menstruation, post-natal bleeding — the obligation is to make up (qada) the missed days as soon as the cause ends, not to pay fidya. Paying fidya in place of qada when qada is possible does not discharge the obligation.

Distinguishing Fidya, Kaffarah and Zakat

These three obligations are sometimes confused because all three involve giving to the poor. The differences matter because they cannot be combined into a single payment:

• Fidya is a one-time substitute for a permanently missed act of worship (a fast you cannot make up).
• Kaffarah is a heavier expiation for actively breaking an obligation — deliberately breaking a fast, violating an oath, or pronouncing zihar.
• Zakat is the annual 2.5% obligation on wealth above the nisab threshold; see our zakat calculator for details. It is paid every year, independent of any missed acts of worship.

A Muslim may owe all three in the same year (an annual zakat, a fidya for missed fasts a parent could not catch up on, and a kaffarah for an oath broken in anger). Each is paid separately; one payment does not substitute for another.

Frequently Asked Questions

When should I pay fidya?

Ideally before the next Ramadan, but there is no fixed deadline. The Prophet ﷺ said: "Whoever delays expiation has not been freed of the debt." Pay as soon as you are able — every meal you provide is a debt cleared with Allah.

Can I pay fidya for a deceased family member?

Yes. If a family member died with missed fasts that they could have made up but did not, the heirs may pay fidya on their behalf from the estate. Some scholars also permit a relative to fast in their place for some types of missed worship.

Is fidya the same as zakat?

No. Zakat is an annual obligation on wealth. Fidya is a one-time expiation for a missed act of worship. The two are paid separately and cannot be combined or counted twice.

Pregnant or nursing — do I pay fidya?

Opinions vary. The majority of scholars hold that a pregnant or nursing woman who breaks her fast for fear of harm to the child should make up the days later. Some — including Ibn 'Abbas — held that fidya alone is sufficient if it is the child's welfare that motivated her. Many follow a combination: make up the fasts when possible, and pay fidya in addition.

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