What Is the Fidya (Expiatory Payment) for Someone Unable to Fast?
Hanafi Fiqh
Answered by Shaykh Dr. Bassem Itani
Question
What is the fidya (expiatory payment) for someone unable to fast, and how much is it?
Answer
All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and blessings and peace be upon our master Muhammad, his Family, and all his Companions.
Fidya (Expiatory Payment)
The fidya is a monetary value prescribed by Allah (Most High) for those who are permanently unable to fast during Ramadan, which the financially capable must pay obligatorily to the needy.
An example of someone permanently unable to fast is an elderly man who has lost his strength and cannot perform the fasting duty, and his return to strength is not expected, eventually leading to death due to old age, or a patient with a chronic, lifelong illness such as someone with renal failure, or a heart patient who must take medication every four or six hours out of necessity. The permanent inability to fast can be determined through reliable medical examinations in our times.
Evidence for the obligation of fidya: Allah (Most High) says:
“For those who can only fast with extreme difficulty, compensation can be made by feeding a needy person (for every day not fasted). But whoever volunteers to give more, it is better for them. And to fast is better for you, if only you knew.” [Quran, 2:184]
Ibn ‘Abbas (Allah be pleased with them) explained this verse, saying:
“For those who can only fast with extreme difficulty, compensation can be made by feeding a needy person (for every day not fasted),” he said: “Those who can afford it pay the charity of feeding one poor person,” and “But whoever volunteers to give more,” he said: “he may add another poor person, it is not abrogated), “It is better for them. And to fast is better for you,” he said: “This concession is only for the elderly who cannot endure fasting or a sick person who knows he will not recover.” [Daraqutni]
Fidya Amount
It is equivalent to the amount of Zakat al-Fitr. It involves feeding a needy person the same amount as given in Zakat al-Fitr for each day missed. If the month is 29 days, then 29 needy people should be fed, and if it is 30 days, then 30 needy people should be fed. [Kasani, Bada’i‘ al-Sana’i‘]
Those who pay the fidya have options:
- For each day missed, provide two fulfilling meals per day to a needy person, such as dinner and suhur or lunch and dinner.
- Transfer ownership to the needy person of an amount equal to Zakat al-Fitr, either a sa‘ (approximately 3.25 kilograms) of dates or barley or half a sa‘ (approximately 1.625 kilograms) of wheat for each day missed. This method is easier for farmers in rural areas.
- Transfer the monetary value equivalent to Zakat al-Fitr in local currency for each day missed. In our times, this is often easier and generally better for the needy, as they may require cash to meet their needs.
Is It Permissible to Pay Fidya at the Beginning of Ramadan?
Yes, it is permissible to pay the fidya at the beginning of Ramadan as well as at the end. If it is delayed until after Ramadan, it remains a debt until paid to the needy.
Note: If the person unable to fast cannot afford the fidya due to financial hardship, they should seek forgiveness from Allah (Most High) and ask for His pardon for their inability to fulfill His right. [Shurunbulali, Maraqi al-Falah]
An important aspect of the beautiful Islamic legislation is that a Muslim who has fasted many years of Ramadan in his life may face an enduring impediment, namely the incapacity to fast for the remainder of his life. He sees his loved ones and others fasting during Ramadan and desires to join them, but cannot, which causes him psychological pain and difficulty. The legislation thus permits him not to fast, substituting the act of fasting with the act of feeding, referred to in the Quranic text as fidya, “Compensation can be made by feeding a needy person.” [Quran, 2:184], because it compensates for fasting, consoling his spirit. By feeding a needy person, it is as if he satiates and satisfies them, a feeling similar to what a fasting person experiences. When breaking their fast, they feel quenched and satisfied. This feeling is thus transferred to the needy, making the one unable to fast akin to those who are fasting.
And Allah guides us to the right path.
[Shaykh] Dr. Bassem Itani
Shaykh Dr. Bassem Hussayn Itani was born in Beirut, Lebanon, in 1965. He earned his Ph.D. in Islamic Studies in 2005. Among his mentors were Shaykh Muhammad Taha Sukkar, Shaykh Adib al-Kallas, Shaykh Mulla Abdul ‘Alim al-Zinki, Shaykh Abdul Rahman al-Shaghouri, Shaykh Abdul Razzaq al-Halabi, Shaykh Dr. Mustafa Dib al-Bugha, Shaykh Dr. Wahba al-Zuhayli, Dr. Muhammad al-Zuhayli, and others, may Allah have mercy on them all.
Shaykh Itani has a rich background in both academic and administrative fields. He has held significant positions in many governmental and non-governmental institutions in Lebanon and abroad. This includes his role as a member of the Academic Committee at SeekersGuidance and a senior teacher with the free online global seminary.
From 2020 to 2021, he served as the Dean of the College of Da‘wa – University for Islamic Studies (Lebanon) – Postgraduate Studies. He was the Director of Dar Iqra for Islamic Sciences from 1998 to 2018. Shaykh Itani is a well-versed teacher in several academic subjects, including Fiqh, Usul, Aqida, and Tafsir. He has supervised and examined numerous Master’s and Doctoral theses at various universities and colleges in Lebanon.
His contributions to Islamic sciences are also evident in his writings and research. His notable works include “The Relied-upon Statements of Imam Zufar in the Hanafi School,” “Collective Ijtihad: The Sublimity of Thought in the 21st Century,” and “Custom and its Impact in Islamic Jurisprudence.” Shaykh Itani has actively participated in numerous scientific conferences and seminars, both in Lebanon and internationally. He is linguistically adept, excelling in Arabic, proficient in French, and comfortably conversant in English.
