The Zakat Foundation of America

Kaffarah of Fasting

Kaffarah. n. - a "covering" action made by someone who has made a mistake or committed a sin. It could be a gift of money or food to the poor, or fasting, or extra prayers. Where the offense has been committed against a fellow being, an apology should be part of that "covering" action.
- "A Basic Dictionary of Islam," by Ruqaiyyah Waris Maqsood.

Kaffarah is offered when one intentionally misses their fast.

There is no Kaffarah or expiation, if you ate or drank accidentally or in forgetfulness while fasting. Unintentional misdeeds are not a sin in Islam. If you just stop when you realize your mistake, you don’t even have to make up your fast, because it would not be considered broken. There is no Kaffarah needed.

If due to an extraordinary situation where one has to break the fast, the Muslim can compensate it by fasting on another day as soon as possible. There is no Kaffarah needed for it. Such extraordinary situations can be an accident, a medical emergency or a situation in which life is threatened. One is not required to fast in sequence. It can be based on convenience, but one must not delay it indefinitely.

Kaffarah is a must if you violated Ramadan

If a Muslim deliberately misses or violates his or her fast during Ramadan, with no justifiable reason, then the Muslim has to make up the day and pay Kaffarah to make up for the sin.

A non-obligatory fast can be broken for any reason or without a reason which will only require a compensatory fast for another day.

How to Offer Kaffarah

The Kaffarah for one day of intentionally broken or missed fasting, which is in addition to making up the missed day, is to fast for 60 consecutive days. (If the 60 days is interrupted for no good reason, then he has to start the 60-day fast anew)

If a person is unable to fast the 60 days for a legitimate reason—a chronic illness that makes fasting too hard—then the person can do one of the following:

• Feed 60 poor people two full meals a day
• Feed one poor person two meals a day for 60 days
• Give 60 poor people 3 lbs. of wheat (or its value in cash or food grains)
• Give one poor person at least 3.5 lbs of wheat, rice, food grains, or its value in cash for 60 days.

All of this has to be based on your average consumption. The food should not be beyond one’s normal amount of consumed food; it should not be extravagant or very cheap either.

It is not required that the poor be fed together in a party-type setting. They don’t need to know why they are being fed. It can actually better to pay a Muslim organization which regularly deals with the poor to organize this feeding in a way which fulfills the purpose of the Shariah.

Exceptions:

• If more than one fasts are rendered void during the same month of Ramadan, one will be required to make up only one expiation/Kaffarah by observing 60 fasting days continuously.
• Women can take a break during the days of pain (menstruation) while offering Kaffarah and resume once it is over.
• A person who is extremely weak due to health reasons or old age and has no apparent hope of recovery to be able to fast is allowed in Islam not to fast, but feed an indigent person instead as atonement for every fast, or give away its cost.

Sins That Require One to Offer Kaffarah

1. Intentionally eating, drinking, or otherwise breaking one’s fast during Ramadan without an acceptable reason

2. To drink any kind of medicine intentionally when one is not seriously sick (and fasting during Ramadan)

3. Making an oath or promise, and later being unable to keep the promise, the Muslim must pay Kaffara.