Free tool · fasting
Fidya and kaffarah calculator
For fasts of Ramadan that were not kept. Choose the reason and the cost of a meal where you live, and see what is due: fidya, kaffarah, or days to make up.
Fidya for each day
Enter the number of days
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Fidya is feeding one poor person for each fast missed by someone who cannot fast at all, such as the very old or the chronically ill (Qur'an 2:184). Kaffarah is the heavier expiation for breaking a Ramadan fast on purpose: fasting 60 days in a row, or, only if truly unable, feeding 60 poor people (Sahih al-Bukhari 1936, Sahih Muslim 1111). Everyone else makes up the days they missed.
Who pays fidya
“For those who can fast only with great hardship, a ransom: feeding a poor person” (Qur'an 2:184, read 2:184). Ibn 'Abbas explained that this applies to the old man and old woman who cannot fast: they feed a poor person for every day (Sahih al-Bukhari 4505).
- Old age that makes fasting impossible.
- A long-term illness with no expected recovery, in the view of a trusted doctor.
Fidya can be given as food or, in the Hanafi school, as its value in money. Give it to people in need, such as through your mosque or a trusted charity. If the person later becomes able to fast, most scholars say they then make up the days.
Amount per day: Hanafis give half a sa' of wheat (about 1.6 to 2 kg) or its value, the same as Zakat al-Fitr, or two filling meals. Shafi'is and Malikis give one mudd (about 0.5 to 0.6 kg) of the local staple food; Hanbalis one mudd of wheat or half a sa' of other food. The calculator lets you choose one or two meals per day.
Who makes up the days instead
“Whoever is ill or on a journey, then an equal number of other days” (Qur'an 2:185, read 2:185). No fidya is due for:
- Illness you expect to recover from, and travel.
- Menstruation and postpartum bleeding: “We were told to make up the fasts” ('A'ishah, Sahih Muslim 335).
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding: “Allah has relieved the pregnant and nursing woman of fasting” (Sunan Abi Dawud 2408). The days are made up. Shafi'is and Hanbalis add fidya when she feared only for the baby; Malikis add it for a nursing mother; Hanafis add nothing.
Make-up fasts should be done before the next Ramadan; 'A'ishah used to make hers up in Sha'ban (Sahih al-Bukhari 1950). If they were delayed past the next Ramadan without an excuse, Shafi'is, Malikis and Hanbalis add one fidya per day, based on reports from Companions such as Abu Hurayrah and Ibn 'Abbas. Hanafis require only the make-up.
Kaffarah for breaking a fast on purpose
A man came to the Prophet ﷺ saying he had been with his wife during a Ramadan fast. He was told to free a slave; if he could not, to fast two months in a row; if he could not, to feed sixty poor people (Sahih al-Bukhari 1936, Sahih Muslim 1111). Today this means:
- Fast 60 days in a row. A break without a valid excuse (such as illness or menstruation) restarts the count.
- Only if truly unable to fast, feed 60 poor people, each the amount of one fidya.
- Make up the broken day as well, and repent.
Which acts need kaffarah: Hanafis and Malikis require it for deliberately eating, drinking or intercourse during a Ramadan fast. Shafi'is and Hanbalis require it only for intercourse; deliberate eating or drinking needs repentance and the make-up day. Several days: Hanafis hold one kaffarah covers several broken days in the same Ramadan; the other schools hold each day needs its own. The calculator shows both.
Kaffarah applies to Ramadan fasts only. Breaking a make-up or voluntary fast needs no kaffarah.
Missed prayers, not fasts?
Prayers are not paid for with fidya by a living person; they are made up. The qada calculator estimates how many prayers you have to make up and a gentle pace, and the guide on making up missed prayers explains how.
Frequently asked questions
How much is fidya per day?
It is the cost of feeding one poor person for a day: one or two meals, depending on your school. Hanafis use half a sa' of wheat (the Zakat al-Fitr amount) or two meals; the other schools one mudd of staple food. Many mosques publish a local rate each Ramadan.
Can I pay fidya instead of making up fasts?
Only if you cannot fast at all and do not expect to be able to, such as through old age or a long-term illness. Anyone who will be able to fast later makes up the days instead (Qur'an 2:185).
Can fidya be paid in money?
Hanafis allow paying the value of the food in money. The Shafi'i, Maliki and Hanbali schools hold it should be given as food; many charities buy and distribute food on your behalf for this reason.
Can I give all the fidya to one poor person?
Yes, for fidya most scholars allow giving several days to one person. For kaffarah, the feeding must reach 60 different poor people in most schools, though Hanafis allow feeding one person on 60 days.
Is kaffarah due for breaking a fast by mistake?
No. Eating or drinking out of forgetfulness does not break the fast at all: “Allah has fed him and given him drink” (Sahih al-Bukhari 1933, Sahih Muslim 1155). Breaking it for a valid reason, such as illness, needs only a make-up day.
Does this calculator store what I enter?
No. Everything runs in your browser. Nothing is saved or sent to Niyat or anyone else.
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