Kaffarah for broken fast

http://www.askimam.org/public/question_detail/19624

Do you have to do sixty consecutive days of fasting for a single intentionally broken or missed fast?

What if someone when he was young, but has reached puberty, did not take his deen seriously and broke around thirty fasts intentionally over the years or did not keep some fast intentionally?

Does that mean sixty days of consecutive fast for each broken or missed fast?

Answer

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

As-salāmu ‘alaykumwa-rahmatullāhiwa-barakātuh. 

If a Muslim deliberately breaks his fast during Ramadan with no justifiable reason in Sharī῾āh, then he has to compensate by paying Kaffārah (expiation) for the sin.

The Kaffārah (expiation) for a broken fast, which is in addition to making up the fast for the missed day is sixty consecutive days. If the sixty days is interrupted without a legitimate Shar῾ī reason, then one has to recommence the sixty days.[1]

If one is unable to fast the sixty days for a legitimate Shar῾ī reason e.g., old age or a chronic illness that makes fasting very hard then the person can do one of the following:

• Feed sixty poor people two full meals a day
• Feed one poor person two meals a day for sixty days
• Give sixty poor people 3.5lbs, or 1.6kgs of wheat, flour, fine flour or its value in cash or feed one poor person for sixty days. 
• Give sixty poor people 7.5lbs or 3.5kgs of dry dates, barley or its value in cash or feed one poor person for sixty days.[2]

All of this is based on one’s average consumption. The food should not be beyond one’s normal amount of consumed food, neither should it be extravagant or inferior.[3]

If a Muslim deliberately misses a fast during Ramadan, this results in compensating for the missed fast by fasting one day ONLY, no Kaffārah (expiation) will occur in this situation.

If more then one fast of Ramadan is broken by eating or drinking or copulating with the spouse, one will be required to compensate with one Kaffārah (expiation) by observing sixty consecutive fast and one qadhā῾.[4]

And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best

Mufti Zaid Mohammed Shelia, 
Student Darul Iftaa

USA

Checked and Approved by, 
MuftiEbrahim Desai.www.daruliftaa.net

Is Kaffara Necessary for not Fasting in Ramadhan ? 

Question #: 6294 

Date Posted: 25-03-2004 

<QUESTION>

A Muslim, ignorant of his deen, and ignorant of the importance of fasting in Ramadhan did not fast, or make niyyah to fast at all in the month for many years. Then he returned to Islam, and made tawbah for his sins and he calculated he had missed about 400 fasts in his life. Does he have to make up the 400 fasts? I have read that kaffarah is only due if he made a niyyah to fast and then he deliberately broke it. If that is not correct please clarify what is the correct verdict, and how he has to make kaffarah.

<ANSWER>

In the name of Allah, Most Compassionate, Most Merciful,

Expiation (Kaffara) only becomes necessary upon an individual if a fast was broken deliberately after actually starting it by eating, drinking or having sexual intercourse. As such, if a fast of Ramadhan was not kept altogether, then although one will be sinful for not fasting, a Kaffara will not be necessary, rather one will be obliged to make up for the missed fast (qadha).

The great Hanafi jurist (faqih), Imam al-Haskafi (Allah have mercy on him) states while discussing the acts that make one only liable to make up for the fast (qadha) and not expiation (kaffara):

“If an individual broke his fast by mistake, such as whilst gargling water entered into his mouth unintentionally…or…..or he woke up in the morning without making an intention of fasting….then in all these situations, only a Qadha will be necessary.

Allama Ibn Abidin (Allah have mercy on him) explaining the above states:

“(Or he woke up in the morning without making an intention to fast)…..Because a Kaffara is only necessary upon a person who broke the fast after keeping it…. (Only a Qadha will be necessary) meaning there will be no Kaffara. (See: Radd al-Muhtar ala al-Durr al-Mukhtar, 2/401-406)

Therefore, in light of the above, the one who missed the obligatory fasts of Ramadhan should firstly repent to Allah Almighty and seek his forgiveness for not fasting. Secondly, it will be necessary to make up (qadha) for the 400 fasts that were missed, although a Kaffara will not be necessary. The person concerned should begin making up for the missed fasts as soon as possible, Insha Allah.

And Allah knows best

[Mufti] Muhammad ibn Adam
Darul Iftaa
Leicester , UK

Making up Fasts Broken Sinfully 

Question #: 6306 

Date Posted: 25-03-2004 

<QUESTION>

Unfortunately, a number of years ago I was involved in a sin which I later found out also breaks a fast. I have no idea how many fasts were broken by this sin as I never use to commit the sin on a daily basis.

It is only now that I have thought about making up for these fasts. Please can you tell me how many fasts I should keep outside ramadhan in order to make up for the broken fasts? 

Alhamdulliah with the tawfeeq of Allah I haven't been involved in this sin for the past few years. Will my fasts of ramadhan from the past few years been affected because I have some missed fasts to my name.

<ANSWER>

In the name of Allah, Most Compassionate, Most Merciful,

Acts that nullify the fast are of two kinds. Some nullifying acts not only make one liable to make up for them later (qadha), but also make one responsible to an expiation (kaffara). These acts are only three:

1) Eating something,

2) Drinking something,

3) Engaging in sexual intercourse.

These three acts make one liable to a Kaffara when they are committed deliberately and intentionally, and after one has already started the fast, provided the person committing these acts has the knowledge that they nullify the fast, and that one was not forced into committing this due to some reason, such as illness. (See: Maraqi al-Falah, p. 663-664)

There are other nullifying acts that only make Qadha necessary and not Kaffara. Examples of such acts are:

1) Eating or drinking by mistake, e.g. water entering into the throat unintentionally whilst performing ablution,

2) Smoking,

3) Emission of semen whilst touching, kissing or caressing a woman,

4) Masturbation,

5) Eating or drinking under the wrong impression that the sun has set or the dawn has not yet set in. (Maraqi al-Falah)

Keeping the above in mind, if the sin (you mention that you committed) is from the first category, then you will have to make up for all of the fasts, plus a Kaffara, which is fasting for sixty days continuously.

However, if the sin is from the second set of examples, then you only need to make up for the actual fasts that were broken. If you are unaware of how many fasts were broken, then make a precautionary estimation and then start making up for them. Also repent to Allah Almighty and seek His forgiveness.

Finally, the fasts you kept in the recent years after abstaining from the sin will not be affected due to the sin, unless there was something else wrong that nullified them. You don’t need to worry too much, rather repent to Allah Most High, and then start making up for the missed fasts.

And Allah knows best

[Mufti] Muhammad ibn Adam
Darul Iftaa
Leicester , UK