Fidya and Kaffarah Calculator

Fidya and kaffarahs in Islam

Among Allah's mercy towards His servants is that He has prescribed for them means by which they can make up for shortcomings, compensate for acts of worship they missed because of an excuse, or wipe out the effect of a violation if it occurs. Among these are fidya (ransom) and kaffarah (expiation). Broadly speaking, the difference between them is that fidya is a substitute for an act of worship that the accountable person is permanently unable to perform, such as the elderly man who cannot fast, whereas kaffarah is a penalty and purification that Allah has prescribed to wipe out the sin of a forbidden act, such as breaking an oath or violating the sanctity of the day in Ramadan.

The fidya and kaffarah calculator on the Mizan website helps you find the number of poor people who must be fed, the amount of food in kilograms and the approximate cost for each of these types, together with the legitimate alternatives, such as fasting when unable.

First: The fasting fidya

The fasting fidya is feeding one poor person for every day a Muslim did not fast because of a permanent excuse that prevents him from both fasting and making up the fast. Its basis is the saying of Allah the Exalted:

﴿أَيَّامًا مَّعْدُودَاتٍ ۚ فَمَن كَانَ مِنكُم مَّرِيضًا أَوْ عَلَىٰ سَفَرٍ فَعِدَّةٌ مِّنْ أَيَّامٍ أُخَرَ ۚ وَعَلَى الَّذِينَ يُطِيقُونَهُ فِدْيَةٌ طَعَامُ مِسْكِينٍ﴾“[Fasting for] a limited number of days. So whoever among you is ill or on a journey [during them] — then an equal number of other days. And upon those who are able [to fast, but with hardship] — a ransom [as substitute] of feeding a poor person.”Surah Al-Baqarah: 184

It is authentically reported from Ibn 'Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both), in what al-Bukhari narrated, that he said this verse is not abrogated, and that it concerns the elderly man and the elderly woman who are unable to fast, so they feed one poor person in place of each day.

Who must pay the fidya?

• The elderly man and elderly woman for whom fasting is extremely difficult and who are not expected to become able to do it.
• The chronically ill with no hope of recovery, according to trustworthy doctors, such as someone who permanently needs medicine or food throughout the day.

As for someone with a temporary illness from which recovery is expected, the traveller, and women in menstruation or post-natal bleeding, they break the fast and make it up after Ramadan, and no fidya is due from them. If the sick person dies before being able to make up the fast, nothing is due from him according to the majority of scholars.

Other cases in which there is disagreement

The pregnant and breastfeeding woman who do not fast: the scholars agree that they may break the fast if they fear for themselves or for the child, but they differ about what they must then do. The Hanafis hold that they only make up the fast; the Shafi'is and Hanbalis hold that they make it up and also pay the fidya if the fear was for the child alone; and the Malikis distinguish between the pregnant and the breastfeeding woman. Likewise, whoever delays making up Ramadan until the next Ramadan arrives without an excuse: the majority hold that he makes it up and feeds one poor person for each day, while the Hanafis hold that he only makes it up.

Second: The kaffarah for an oath

The kaffarah for an oath is due from anyone who swore by Allah the Exalted about a possible future matter and then broke the oath, by doing what he swore to abstain from or abstaining from what he swore to do. Allah the Exalted explained it in His saying:

﴿لَا يُؤَاخِذُكُمُ اللَّهُ بِاللَّغْوِ فِي أَيْمَانِكُمْ وَلَٰكِن يُؤَاخِذُكُم بِمَا عَقَّدتُّمُ الْأَيْمَانَ ۖ فَكَفَّارَتُهُ إِطْعَامُ عَشَرَةِ مَسَاكِينَ مِنْ أَوْسَطِ مَا تُطْعِمُونَ أَهْلِيكُمْ أَوْ كِسْوَتُهُمْ أَوْ تَحْرِيرُ رَقَبَةٍ ۖ فَمَن لَّمْ يَجِدْ فَصِيَامُ ثَلَاثَةِ أَيَّامٍ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ كَفَّارَةُ أَيْمَانِكُمْ إِذَا حَلَفْتُمْ﴾“Allah will not impose blame upon you for what is meaningless in your oaths, but He will impose blame upon you for [breaking] what you intended of oaths. So its expiation is the feeding of ten needy people from the average of that which you feed your [own] families or clothing them or the freeing of a slave. But whoever cannot find [or afford it] — then a fast of three days. That is the expiation for oaths when you have sworn.”Surah Al-Ma'idah: 89

So the kaffarah for an oath is by choice, then in sequence: the one who broke the oath chooses one of three things:

1. Feeding ten poor people from the average of what he feeds his family.
2. Clothing ten poor people with clothing sufficient for prayer.
3. Freeing a believing slave, which is not practically available in our time.

If he is unable to do all three, he moves to fasting three days. The Hanafis and Hanbalis require them to be consecutive, while the Malikis and Shafi'is do not, according to their relied-upon view. It is not permissible to move to fasting while able to feed or clothe.

Third: The kaffarah for intercourse during the day in Ramadan

Whoever has intercourse with his wife intentionally during the day in Ramadan while observing an obligatory fast has committed a grave sin, and he must repent, make up that day and pay the severe kaffarah. Its basis is the hadith of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) about the man who came to the Prophet ﷺ and said: "I am ruined; I had intercourse with my wife while fasting." The Prophet ﷺ asked him:

"Can you find a slave to free?" He said: No. He said: "Are you able to fast two consecutive months?" He said: No. He said: "Can you find food for sixty poor people?" He said: No...Agreed upon (al-Bukhari and Muslim)

So the kaffarah is in sequence according to the majority of scholars:

1. Freeing a believing slave; if he cannot find one:
2. Fasting two consecutive months, whose continuity is broken only by a valid religious excuse such as illness; if he is unable:
3. Feeding sixty poor people.

The Malikis hold that it is by choice, and that feeding is the best of them. The scholars differ on whether the kaffarah is obligatory for a wife who consented: the Hanafis, the Malikis and one narration from the Hanbalis make it obligatory, while the Shafi'is and another narration from the Hanbalis do not. A wife who was coerced owes no kaffarah.

Eating and drinking intentionally during the day in Ramadan

The jurists differ about someone who breaks the fast by eating or drinking intentionally without an excuse:

• The Hanafis and Malikis: the major kaffarah is due from him, as with intercourse, along with making up the day, because he deliberately violated the sanctity of the month.
• The Shafi'is and Hanbalis: he must only make up the day along with sincere repentance, and there is no kaffarah, because the text was specifically about intercourse.

According to both views he has committed a grave sin and must repent to Allah the Exalted. As for someone who eats or drinks forgetfully, his fast is valid and nothing is due from him, as the Prophet ﷺ said: "Whoever forgets while fasting and eats or drinks, let him complete his fast, for it is only Allah who fed him and gave him drink" (agreed upon).

The amount of food

The jurists differ about the amount to be given to each poor person in fidya and kaffarahs:

According to many scholars, it is permissible to prepare food and invite the required number of poor people to it, giving them a satisfying lunch or dinner. The Hanafis permit paying the value in cash, while the majority hold that food is what is due. The more cautious approach is to give each poor person about one and a half kilograms of rice or similar, with some accompanying food if possible.

How to use the fidya and kaffarah calculator

1. Choose the type of calculation: fasting fidya, oath kaffarah, or kaffarah for intercourse during the day in Ramadan.
2. Enter the number: the number of days for the fasting fidya, the number of oaths you broke, or the number of days on which the violation occurred.
3. Choose the amount of food per poor person (one mudd or half a sa') or enter the weight in kilograms.
4. Enter the price per kilogram of the staple food in your country, or the cost of a single meal.
5. Press "Calculate" to see the number of poor people, the total quantity and the approximate cost.

Practical example

An elderly man was unable to fast the whole of Ramadan (30 days) and decided to give 1.5 kg of rice for each day, with rice costing 6 currency units per kilogram:

• Number of poor people: 30 poor people (or one poor person for 30 days).
• Quantity: 30 × 1.5 = 45 kg.
• Approximate cost: 45 × 6 = 270 currency units.

If it were a single oath kaffarah with the same amount, it would be 10 poor people × 1.5 kg = 15 kg, costing 90 units. If it were the kaffarah for intercourse and the person were unable to fast, it would be 60 poor people × 1.5 kg = 90 kg, costing 540 units.