What is Kaffarah? Rules for Intentionally Breaking Fast

Fasting is one of the five pillars of Islam, has great value, and fasting in Ramadan is mandatory for every adult and healthy Muslim. However, those who do not fast without a reason are wrong and may be punished. During Ramadan, Muslims across the world fast from dawn to sunset. Fasting is considered the best way to get Allah’s forgiveness and draw closer to Him.

However, if someone deliberately breaks the fast without any valid reason, they are considered sinful and have to pay Kaffarah to expiate their sins. Indeed, breaking fast is a serious sin, but Islam comes with possible solutions to atone for your sins and get forgiveness from Allah.

This article highlights the importance of fasting in Ramadan, along with the Kaffarah of breaking fast intentionally. As well as this, we will also discuss how you can pay Kaffarah.

The Importance of Fasting in Ramadan?

Before going to discuss Kaffarah and the ways to pay Kaffarah, we will discuss the importance of fasting in Ramadan. Below are some important factors highlighting the value of fasting in Ramadan:

1. A Way to be Obedient to Allah

Fasting is an obligatory act of worship. Whoever does fasting during Ramadan obeys the order of Allah, which marks him as an obedient person. Allah shows his great blessings and rewards to those who obey his orders.

2. A Way to Connect with Allah

Fasting teaches us about good things like praying, reciting the Holy Quran, taking care of others, especially the poor in our society, and staying positive and patient throughout fasting. All these acts make a man humble and keep him connected with Allah.

3. A Way of Self-improvements

Fasting not only helps us get closer to Allah, but it also promotes self-improvement. It enhances the power of self-control. For example, Muslims avoid eating anything even when they are hungry, and nobody’s watching them, they resist drinking even when they are thirsty.

Besides this, fasting keeps people stay patient and positive even when they are irritated. So, fasting makes us modest and teaches us the lessons of discipline, emotional control, and promotes the sense of humanity and brotherhood.

4. A Great Way of Community Bonding

Besides getting us closer to Allah, fasting draws us closer to mankind as well. It keeps us closer to others when we do Suhor and Iftar with our loved ones. Gathering during prayer times makes us able to know about others who live in our surroundings. So, fasting is considered a great way of community bonding.

5. A Way to Improve Your Physical Health

Where fasting comes with spiritual benefits, it also brings exceptional physical health benefits. For example, regular fasting manages the blood sugar level, improves heart health, fights against inflammation, prevents cancer, and promotes weight loss.

What is Kaffarah?

Kaffarah is considered a charitable compensation that needs to be paid by Muslims committing violations of breaking fast during Ramadan. Remember that Kaffarah only becomes mandatory to pay when you intentionally break the fast without any reason.

These violations may include eating and drinking something deliberately or engaging in sexual activities while fasting. However, there are some conditions under which you can break fast, and there would be no need to pay Kaffarah. For example, if someone unintentionally eats or drinks something, their fast remains safe.

Besides this, in intense healthcare conditions, when someone is unable to keep the fast or has fear that fasting can make their health worse, they can break fast without paying Kaffaraha.

How to Pay Kaffarah for a Broken Fast?

If you have done something intentionally that broke your fast, you have to pay Kaffarah to expiate your sins and gain Allah’s forgiveness. Here are the recommended ways by Islam to pay Kaffarah for deliberately breaking fast during Ramadan:

1. Free a Slave

The very basic rule to pay Kaffarah for breaking fast is to free a slave. However, this practice was followed in the previous times of slavery. As of today, there is no concept of slavery in almost all around the world, so you can go with other conditions recommended by Islam.

2. Fast for Sixty Consecutive Days

If freeing a slave is not possible, you can go with another option, which is to fast for sixty consecutive days. Fasting for sixty days in a way that there must be no gap. If someone makes a gap during this, he/she will restart fasting for the coming sixty days. This strictness about deliberately breaking the fast showcases the importance of fasting in Islam.

3. Feed Sixty Poor People

If someone says that he is not able to do fasting for sixty consecutive days due to some reasons, Islam gives more relaxation, as you can redress your sins of deliberately breaking fast by feeding sixty poor people. You need to find poor people in your surroundings and feed them.

However, if you are unable to find people, you can donate an amount equal to this to the organizations where poor people are sponsored or supported. The best way is to find needy people on your own, from your surroundings, or from any organization, and then give the amount of your Kaffarah. It will give you satisfaction that you have paid Kaffarah in the right way to get Allah's forgiveness.

Kaffarah vs. Fidya?

The above discussion has cleared the concept of Kaffarah, which is obligatory to pay when you break the fast knowingly. However, Fidya is dissimilar to this; Fidya is a charitable compensation that becomes obligatory when someone misses the fast due to some genuine reasons. Remember that there is no relaxation for missing fasting during Ramadan.

Allah (SWT) narrates the importance of fasting in the Qur’an:

"[Fasting for] a limited number of days. So whoever among you is ill or on a journey [during them] – then an equal number of days [are to be made up]. And upon those who are able [to fast, but with hardship] – a ransom [as substitute] of feeding a poor person [each day]. And whoever volunteers excessively, it is better for him. But to fast is best for you, if you only knew". (Surah Al-Baqarah - 184)

This ayat shows the importance of fasting during Ramadan. However, those who are ill and travelling can miss the fast for the time being, but they have to complete the missed days when they are free from illness and complete their journey. Although if someone finds it hard to complete the missed days, they can pay fidya in the form of feeding the poor.

Give Your Donations to RCF This Ramadan?

If you are about to pay your donations in Ramadan purely for the cause of Allah and seeking Allah’s forgiveness, you can do it by supporting renal patients. At Renal Care Foundation, we work to support poor patients suffering from renal disorders. We use your donations to manage regular blood supply, medications, injections, and dialysis sessions for patients who cannot afford them.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is Kaffarah obligatory to pay?

Kaffarah becomes obligatory to pay when someone knowingly breaks the fast by eating, drinking, or engaging in sexual activities.

What are the three conditions to pay Kaffarah for breaking fast?

The Kaffarah conditions for deliberately breaking fast include freeing a slave, fasting for sixty consecutive days, or feeding sixty poor people.

What is the difference between Kaffarah and Fidya?

Kaffarah is a charitable compensation that needs to be paid when someone breaks the fast knowingly. However, Fidya is a compensation for missing fasting during Ramadan in the form of feeding the poor.

When is kaffarah not mandatory to pay?

If someone breaks the fast unintentionally, like if they accidentally eat or drink something, they do not need to pay Kaffarah as their fast remains safe. Besides this, if someone is going through a bad health condition and fears that if the condition gets worse, they can break the fast.

What is the difference between Kaffarah and Fitra?

Kaffarah needs to be paid when someone deliberately breaks fast during Ramadan. However, Fitra is an obligation that needs to be paid by Muslims before Eid al-Fitr who have food in excess of their basic needs.