FIDYA FOR NOT FASTING

QUESTION:

As salaam Alaikum,

What monetary payments should I make as expiation for non fasting during Ramadan. How much is it calculated for one day? Should I make payments to the mosque or directly to someone else, eg. A poor person. What other payments are mandatory for me, such as sadaqat ul fitr and how much is it? Thank you for your understanding.

 

Answer:

Bismillahi Wa Billahi At Tawfeeq

Wa Alaikum As Salam Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuh

With regards to your question about expiation for missed fasts, a few things need to be borne in mind:

  1. When a person misses the compulsory fasts of Ramadan, it is necessary for that person to make up for those missed fasts.
  2. As long as the person has the ability to fast, he/she cannot pay the fidya (monetary expiation) to absolve him/her from the obligation of fasting.
  3. If however, this person does not have the ability to fast, due to old age/ sickness, etc and he/she is not expected to regain this ability for the rest of his/her life then they are allowed to pay fidya for each missed fast.
  4. If after paying the fidya, he/she were to regain their ability to fast, then the fidya that was paid would be considered to be charity, and it would once again be compulsory upon that individual to fast.
  5. The fidya for a fast is 1.6 kg of wheat or 3.15kg of barley or its equivalent in cash.
  6. A person will have to pay the above for each day of fast missed.
  7. The principle regarding fidya is that it should be paid to poor people. As such the fidya that is normally collected in Masaajid is distributed amongst the poor; hence it may be given to the Masjid as well for this purpose.

 

In terms of mandatory payments, Zakat is an obligation ordained by Allah Most High upon every Muslim who becomes the owner of a specific amount of productive wealth known as the “Nisab”. If one’s wealth is equal to or more than this specific amount, Zakat will become obligatory upon him. This Nisab is the equivalent in cash, gold, silver, merchandise, etc of 612 grams of silver or 87.48 grams of gold.

 

As far as Sadaqah Al Fitr is concerned, it is something that is paid on Eid al-Fitr by every Muslim who is the owner of the same Nisab mentioned above, but in any form. Sadaqah Al Fitr is 1.6 kg of wheat or 3.15kg of barley or its equivalent in cash.

If you require any further clarification, feel free to contact us.

(Hashiya At Tahtawi 688, Kitab An Nawazil 6/407, Awzan E Sharia 41, Rad Al Muhtar 2/427, Rad Al Muhtar 2/364, Mawsuah Al Fiqhiyah 32/67)

And Allah knows best

Mufti Waheeb Saiyed

21/1/2022