Fiqh (Jurisprudence)
Kaffarah
Kaffārah
An expiation — a prescribed act (feeding the poor, freeing a slave, or fasting) that atones for a broken oath, intentional fast, or similar violation.
What is Kaffarah?
Kaffarah is an expiation — a prescribed act that "covers" or makes amends for a specific violation of Islamic law. It is a mercy that allows a believer who has fallen into certain wrongs to repair the matter before Allah, almost always in a way that also benefits the poor and needy. It is closely associated with, but distinct from, ordinary repentance (tawbah).
Kaffarah for Breaking the Ramadan Fast
The most well-known kaffarah in the context of fasting is for one who deliberately breaks the fast of Ramadan by intercourse. The Prophet ﷺ taught a man who did this a graded expiation: to free a believing slave; if unable, to fast two consecutive months; and if unable, to feed sixty poor people (Bukhari 1936). This is in addition to making up (qada) that day's fast and sincere repentance.
Other Forms of Kaffarah
- Breaking an oath: feeding or clothing ten poor people, or freeing a slave; and if unable, fasting three days (Quran 5:89).
- Zihar (a pre-Islamic form of estrangement from one's wife): freeing a slave, then fasting two months, then feeding sixty poor (Quran 58:3-4).
- Accidental killing: freeing a believing slave and paying blood-money, or fasting two consecutive months (Quran 4:92).
Kaffarah and Fidyah
Kaffarah (expiation for a violation) should not be confused with fidyah (a compensation for those permanently unable to fast). Kaffarah is a heavier, graded penalty tied to a specific transgression, while fidyah is a feeding of the poor in place of a fast that genuinely cannot be performed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does kaffarah replace repentance?
No. Kaffarah is performed alongside sincere repentance (tawbah), not instead of it. It is the practical, prescribed amends, while tawbah is the inner turning back to Allah with regret and resolve.
Is kaffarah required for every broken fast?
No. The severe kaffarah applies specifically to deliberately breaking a Ramadan fast in the manner mentioned by the scholars. A fast broken for a valid reason, or simply missed, generally requires only making it up (qada), and in some cases fidyah.
Etymology & origin
Kaffarah (الكفارة) comes from the root K-F-R in its meaning of "to cover, to expiate". It is an expiation prescribed by Islamic law to make amends for certain violations — such as deliberately breaking a Ramadan fast, breaking an oath, or other specific acts — combining atonement before Allah with benefit to the poor.
References
- Quran:
- 5:89, 58:3-4, 4:92, 2:196
- Hadith:
- Bukhari 1936 / Muslim 1111 (the man who broke his Ramadan fast by intercourse and the graded expiation); Bukhari 6709 (kaffarah for oaths)
Related terms
Fidyah
Compensation of feeding a poor person for each missed fast, prescribed for those permanently unable to fast — such as the chronically ill or the very elderly.
Kaffarah
An expiation — a prescribed act (feeding the poor, freeing a slave, or fasting) that atones for a broken oath, intentional fast, or similar violation.
Ramadan (Holy Month of Fasting)
The ninth and holiest month of the Islamic calendar, the month of obligatory fasting and the revelation of the Quran.
Sawm
The fourth pillar of Islam: abstaining from food, drink, intimacy and sinful acts from dawn (Fajr) to sunset (Maghrib) during Ramadan.
Tawbah
Repentance — sincere return to Allah after sin: stopping the wrong, regretting it, and resolving not to repeat it; Allah loves those who repent.