About the Observance
In some circumstances, a Muslim is not able to fulfill his or her religious obligation to fast during the month of Ramadan. Fidya and kaffara are two solutions offered that can help a Muslim compensate for not fasting—paying of fidya or kaffara also benefits members of the community who live in impoverished conditions.
Fidya
“Fidya” is a donation type within the Islamic tradition paid by individuals who cannot fulfill the obligation of fasting due to illness or old age. Fidya payments are meant to feed a person in need for each of the fasting days missed, and are equivalent to the price of one meal each for two people or two meals for one person. The estimated cost is $10 for each day missed or $300 for all of Ramadan.
Kaffara
“Kaffara” is also a donation type within the Islamic tradition that provides individuals who deliberately miss or break a day of fast during the month of Ramadan without a valid reason. According to Islamic guidelines, if a person misses a day of fasting unnecessarily, he or she should either fast for 60 consecutive days or feed 60 people per day. The estimated cost is $10 per person for 60 people, which equals $600 a day for each missed or broken-fast day.
How You Can Help
Here are three ways you can share information about fidya and kaffara or pay your obligation online.
