Kaffaarah (Compensation)

Q. What is the compensation for breaking the fast?

A. The kaffaarah is to free a slave. But in the countries where there are no slaves, the kaffaarah can be given only by the following two means:

• First, keeping fast daily continuously for two months.
• Second, if one does not have the strength to keep fasts for two months, he or she must feed 60 poor people to their fill twice a day, or give each of the 60 poor people 3 ½ lbs. of wheat or pay its equal price, or give rice, corn, etc. of the same amount.

Q. Is it allowed to give the foodgrains of 60 poor people, that will be 210 lbs. of wheat, to only one person?

A. It is allowed if one person is given 3 ½ lbs. of wheat every day, or he is fed twice a day for 60 days. But if he is given each day more than what is to be given to him, by cash or in kind, then only the required quantity will be counted to the kaffaarah and not the surplus.

Q. Is it allowed if one deserving person is given less than 3 ½ lbs.?

A. No, it is not allowed to give less or more than 3 ½ lbs. of wheat in kaffaarah as one day’s quantity of foodgrains to a poor person.

Q. What if several fasts in one Ramadaan were broken?

A. Only one kaffaarah will be waajib