FAQs

• What is Fidya and Kaffarah?

  Fidya is a donation that is used to make up for any missed obligatory days of fasting for a valid reason such as; extreme illness, traveling, elderly, pregnant, breastfeeding, traveling, etc.

  Kaffarah must be done to make up for deliberately missing any obligatory days of fasting without a valid reason.

• Is giving Fidya/ Kaffarah compulsory?

  Yes. As one of the five pillars of Islam, fasting is compulsory for all capable Muslims above the age of puberty. That makes it obligatory for a Muslim to compensate for any missed days fasting even if they have a valid reason, and especially if they do not have one.

• What does the Quran say about missed fasts?

  Fasting is for a fixed number of days, and if one of you be sick, or if one of you be on a journey, you will fast the same number of other days later on. For those who are capable of fasting (but still do not fast) there is a redemption: feeding a needy man for each day missed. Whoever voluntarily does more good than is required, will find it better for him; and that you should fast is better for you, if you only know. (Qur’an 2:184)

• How much is it?

  With Human Appeal, you can easily pay Fidya at just $9 per missed day, or Kaffarah at $500 per missed day. While there is no set price for paying Fidya or Kaffarah, the average amount is the cost of a meal for a vulnerable person.

• When do you pay Fidya?

  Fidya can be paid at any time of the year.

• How do you pay Fidya?

  You can pay Fidya by feeding a vulnerable person per each day missed. This can be done by donating the cost for a meal or by preparing the meal yourself.

  Kaffarah can be performed by fasting a specific number of days in a row. To calculate the number of days required to fast, multiply the number of missed days by 60. For example, if you deliberately missed 1 day of fasting, you would have to fast for 60 consecutive days (if you missed 2 days, you would fast 120 consecutive days, etc.).

  Alternatively, you could feed 60 vulnerable people, or free an enslaved Muslim, for each day of fasting missed.

• Where will it go?

  Your Fidya or Kaffarah payments will go to those who are eligible to receive it, and Kaffarah payments going to support our Feed the Fasting campaign this Ramadan.

• Why is Fidya important?

  It is important to uphold our Islamic obligations. Fasting is an obligatory act and one of the 5 pillars of Islam. If we are unable to fast, it is important to compensate for this by paying Fidya.

• Who is required to pay?

  Any capable individual who is accountable for their deeds is required to pay if they have missed or broken their fast.

• What if I miss a fast without a valid reason?

  If you miss a fast without a valid reason, you must pay a Kaffarah of $500 for 1 missed day.

• Why give your Fidya through Human Appeal?

  We have been carrying out your Fidya and Kaffarah compensations for 32 years. When it comes to matters as important as compensation for missed fasts, experience is absolutely key. We have a number of longstanding, but regularly updated and assessed, systems in place to make sure that your Fidya or Kaffarah is carried out in a timely and efficient manner, while providing nutritious food to those who need it most - especially in this time of fragile need.