Fidyah & Kaffarah Calculator
Calculate your Fidyah or Kaffarah amount for missed fasting days. Free online calculator for fasting compensation according to Islamic rules.
What is the difference?
Fidyah
For those who cannot fast due to chronic illness, old age, or a permanent condition. You feed one poor person for each missed day.
Kaffarah
For those who deliberately broke their fast without a valid excuse. The expiation is to fast 60 consecutive days, or if unable, feed 60 poor people.
Total Fidyah Amount
$ 10
1 day(s) x $10 per meal
What is Fidyah in Islam?
Fidyah is a religious compensation in Islam for those who cannot fast during the month of Ramadan due to a permanent or long-term excuse. The word "Fidyah" comes from the Arabic root "f-d-y" meaning ransom or redemption. Allah says in the Quran: "And upon those who are able [to fast, but with hardship] — a ransom of feeding a poor person" (Quran 2:184). Fidyah consists of feeding one poor person for each missed day of fasting. This obligation reflects Allah's mercy toward those who have legitimate reasons for not fasting, while allowing them to participate in the reward of Ramadan by feeding the needy. It is important to understand that Fidyah applies only to those with a permanent excuse — those with a temporary excuse (such as a curable illness or travel) must make up the missed days later and do not pay Fidyah. Fidyah can be paid in food or money according to many contemporary scholars, as long as the amount corresponds to the cost of a complete meal in your area.
What is Kaffarah in Islam?
Kaffarah is a far more severe expiation than Fidyah, required when a Muslim deliberately breaks their Ramadan fast without a valid excuse. The word "Kaffarah" comes from the Arabic root "k-f-r" meaning to cover or to expiate. Kaffarah is mentioned in several Quranic verses and hadiths in connection with different situations: deliberate breaking of the fast, breaking an oath (Quran 5:89), Dhihar (a pre-Islamic form of divorce), and involuntary killing. For deliberately breaking the Ramadan fast, Kaffarah follows a specific order established in the Prophetic tradition: first, freeing a slave (not applicable today); second, fasting 60 consecutive days without interruption — if even one day is missed, the count restarts from the beginning; third, if fasting 60 days is physically impossible, feeding 60 poor people. The severity of Kaffarah underscores the gravity of deliberately breaking a Ramadan fast, which is one of the pillars of Islam.
Differences Between Fidyah and Kaffarah
While both Fidyah and Kaffarah involve feeding the poor, they differ considerably. Fidyah is compensation for those who cannot fast due to a permanent inability — it is a replacement, not a punishment. Kaffarah is an expiation for those who deliberately violated the sanctity of fasting — it is a corrective and deterrent measure. In terms of amount, Fidyah corresponds to the cost of one meal per missed day, while Kaffarah equals the cost of 60 meals (feeding 60 people) for a single day deliberately violated. Fidyah is paid for each day individually, whereas Kaffarah is fixed at 60 days regardless of the number of violations (though some scholars require a separate Kaffarah for each broken day). Fidyah is accompanied by Allah's mercy and carries no connotation of sin, while Kaffarah requires sincere repentance (Tawbah) in addition to payment. Both can be paid in food or money in modern practice.
Who Must Pay Fidyah?
Fidyah is specifically for people who have a permanent excuse preventing them from fasting, with no hope of being able to make up the days later. This includes: (1) Elderly people whose bodies can no longer endure fasting. (2) Chronically ill people suffering from permanent conditions such as advanced diabetes, kidney disease, serious heart conditions, or terminal cancer. (3) Pregnant women if fasting endangers the health of the mother or baby, and this condition persists with each pregnancy according to some scholars. (4) Breastfeeding mothers if fasting significantly affects milk production and the child's health. It is important to note that for pregnant and breastfeeding women, the majority of scholars consider their excuse temporary and require them to make up the missed days later instead of paying Fidyah. The Hanafi school, however, requires making up the days without Fidyah. The most prudent approach is to consult a qualified scholar for one's personal situation.
When is Kaffarah Required?
Kaffarah is required in one specific situation: the deliberate and intentional breaking of the Ramadan fast without any valid excuse. According to scholars, this typically occurs when a person eats, drinks, or engages in intimacy deliberately while knowing they are fasting and that it is forbidden. Kaffarah is NOT required in the following cases: eating or drinking out of forgetfulness (the fast remains valid according to the hadith: "Whoever forgets that he is fasting and eats or drinks, let him complete his fast for it is Allah who has fed him and given him drink" — Sahih al-Bukhari), vomiting involuntarily, swallowing water accidentally during ablution, or eating while thinking Maghrib has arrived when it has not (a good-faith error). The severity of Kaffarah — 60 consecutive days of fasting or feeding 60 people — underscores how seriously Islam regards the deliberate breaking of the fast.
How to Calculate the Amount
Calculating Fidyah is straightforward: multiply the number of missed days by the cost of an average meal in your area. This meal should be sufficient to feed one poor person — it is not a snack but a complete meal. The amount varies by country and school of jurisprudence. The Hanafi school considers that one should give the equivalent of half a sa' of wheat (approximately 1.6 kg) or a full sa' of dates or barley (approximately 3.2 kg). For Kaffarah, the calculation is fixed: feed 60 poor people one complete meal each (or the equivalent in money). Some scholars allow feeding one person for 60 days instead of 60 people in one day. It is important to check local prices and consult Islamic charitable organizations in your area that often publish updated amount guides each Ramadan.
Conditions and Exceptions
Several conditions and exceptions are worth mentioning: Temporary illness does not require Fidyah — the sick person simply needs to make up the missed days once recovered (Quran 2:185). Similarly, travelers who break their fast must make up the days upon return without paying Fidyah or Kaffarah. Women during menstruation or postpartum bleeding are forbidden from fasting and must make up those days — this is neither Fidyah nor Kaffarah but an obligatory make-up. If a chronically ill person unexpectedly recovers after paying Fidyah, most scholars say the Fidyah remains valid and they do not need to make up the days. For elderly people who can neither fast nor afford to pay Fidyah, they are exempt according to their capacity — Allah does not burden a soul beyond what it can bear (Quran 2:286). Sincerity of intention and consciousness of Allah are essential in all these cases.
Frequently Asked Questions about Fidyah and Kaffarah
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