In the first instance, the term Kaffārah in Islamic terminology is a compensation or atonement made by Muslims for intentionally breaking any fasts during the holy month of Ramadan, without a valid reason or breaking an oath. In this article, we shall focus on the Kaffārah of breaking a fast based on the religious verdicts (Fatawa) of Sayyid Sistani (May his authority be prolonged).
Situations when Kaffārah are required
If a fast-observer invalidates a fast of the month of Ramadan by eating, drinking, having sexual intercourse, masturbating, or remaining in the state of janābah until the time of Ṣubḥ prayers, if he did one of these things intentionally and voluntarily – and he was not compelled and forced to – then, as well as Qaḍāʾ, kaffārah also becomes obligatory on him [i.e. he must keep a fast after Ramadan and also give recompense]. As for someone who invalidates a fast by means other than those mentioned, the recommended precaution is that in addition to qaḍāʾ, he should also give kaffārah.
If a fast-observer intentionally attributes a lie to Allah, Prophet Muḥammad (PBUHH), [or the Twelve Imams (PBUT)], it is not obligatory on him to give kaffārah. However, the recommended precaution is that he should give kaffārah.
If on several occasions on a day of the month of Ramadan, a person eats, drinks, has sexual intercourse, or masturbates, then giving one kaffārah is sufficient for all of them.
If a fasting person does something that invalidates a fast – other than having sexual intercourse or masturbating – and afterwards he has sexual intercourse with his lawful partner, then giving one kaffārah is sufficient for both actions. If a fasting person does something that is lawful but which invalidates a fast – for example, he drinks water – and afterwards, he does something else that is unlawful and which invalidates a fast – for example, he eats unlawful food – then giving one kaffārah is sufficient.
If a fasting person burps and something comes up in his mouth, then based on obligatory precaution, if he intentionally swallows it his fast is invalid and he must keep a qaḍāʾ fast and give kaffārah. And if eating that thing is unlawful – for example, when burping, blood or some food-like substance that has lost the form of food reaches his mouth and he intentionally swallows it – it is better that he gives the ‘total kaffārah’.
If a fasting person breaks his fast based on the statement of someone who says it is Maghrib, despite the fact that he was not confident in the statement being true, and afterwards he finds out that it was not Maghrib, or, if afterwards he doubts whether it is Maghrib or not [but still breaks his fasts], then in these cases, qaḍāʾ and kaffārah become obligatory on him. And if he believed that the person’s statement is authoritative, then only qaḍāʾ is necessary.
If a person is certain that it is the first day of the month of Ramadan and he intentionally invalidates his fast, and afterwards it becomes known that it was actually the last day of Shaʿbān, kaffārah is not obligatory on him. However, if a person doubts whether it is the last day of Ramadan or the first of Shawwāl and he intentionally invalidates his fast, and afterwards it becomes known that it was the first of Shawwāl, kaffārah is not obligatory on him.
If a fasting man in the month of Ramadan has sexual intercourse with his wife who is fasting. If he had compelled his wife to do so, he must give kaffārah for invalidating his fast; and based on obligatory precaution, he must give kaffārah for invalidating his wife’s fast as well. And if his wife consented to having sexual intercourse, one kaffārah becomes obligatory on each of them.
If a woman compels her fasting husband to have sexual intercourse with her, it is not obligatory on her to give kaffārah for invalidating her husband’s fast.
If a fasting man in the month of Ramadan compels his wife to have sexual intercourse with him and during the intercourse his wife consents, one kaffārah becomes obligatory on each of them; and the recommended precaution is that the man should give two kaffārahs.
If a fasting man in the month of Ramadan has sexual intercourse with his fasting wife while she is asleep, one kaffārah becomes obligatory on him. Furthermore, the fast of his wife is valid and kaffārah is not obligatory on her. A man who does not fast due to travelling or illness cannot compel his fasting wife to have sexual intercourse with him; however, if he does compel her, kaffārah is not obligatory on him.
If a person invalidates his fast using something unlawful – whether that thing is fundamentally unlawful, like wine or fornication, or something that has become unlawful due to a particular reason, like eating lawful food that is in a general sense harmful for him, or having intercourse with his wife when she is in the state of ḥayḍ – then in these cases, giving one kaffārah is sufficient. However, the recommended precaution is that he should give the ‘total kaffārah’, i.e. free one slave, fast for two months, and feed sixty poor people or give each one of them one mudd of wheat, barley, bread, or suchlike. In the event that all three are not possible for him, he should do the ones that are possible for him.
Types of kaffārah of fast
The kaffārah for breaking a fast unlawfully in the month of Ramadan is that the person must free a slave (if available), fast for two months in accordance with certain conditions, or feed sixty poor people (fuqarāʾ) or give each one of them a mudd – which is approximately 750 grams – of food, i.e. wheat, barley, bread, or suchlike.
NOTE: In the event that none of these is possible for the person, he must give charity to the extent that he can. If this is not possible either, he must seek forgiveness from Allah; and the obligatory precaution is that he must give kaffārah whenever he is able to.
Conditions for Kaffārah fast
Someone who wants to fast for two months for the kaffārah of the month of Ramadan must fast one complete month and one day from the next month continuously. That is to say, the person must keep sixty fasts but at least, (one complete month and one day of the next month) or the first 31 days must be done consecutively. However, keeping the remaining fast (29 fasts) must also be consecutive based on obligatory precaution. But if an obstacle arises that would commonly be considered to be a legitimate excuse, he does not have to fast that particular day, but once his legitimate excuse expires he must resume his fasts.
In addition, someone who wants to fast for two months for the kaffārah of a fast of Ramadan must not start at a time when he knows a day on which fasting is unlawful – such as Eid al-Fitr (Shawal 1) or Eid al-Aḍḥā (Dhul-Hijjah 10) – will fall within the one month and one day period, nor must he fast at a time when he knows a day on which fasting is obligatory [such as a day that he had assigned in a vow] will fall within that period.
Likewise, if someone who must fast continuously does not fast one of the days without a legitimate excuse, he must start the kaffārah fasts all over again. However, if during the days that someone must fast continuously a legitimate excuse arises – such as menstruation, childbirth bleeding, or a journey on which he has to go – then once the excuse expires, it is not obligatory for him to start the fast all over again; rather, he will continue the rest of the fasts after the excuse has expired.
When to observe kaffārah
1. One must not be negligent in giving kaffārah; however, it is not necessary to give it immediately.
2. If kaffārah becomes obligatory on someone and he does not give it for a few years, nothing is added to it.
3. If someone who must feed sixty poor people as the kaffārah for one day has access to all sixty people, he cannot reduce the number of poor people to feed even if he gives the same amount of kaffārah. For example, he cannot give two mudds to thirty people and suffice with that. He can, however, give a poor person (faqīr) one mudd of food for each of the poor person’s family members even if they are minors (ṣaghīr) and the poor person accepts this by way of agency (wikālah) for his family, or by way of guardianship (wilāyah) if they are minors. And if he cannot find sixty poor people but, for example, he finds thirty people, he can give two mudds of food to each of them. However, based on obligatory precaution, whenever he can, he must give one mudd of food to another thirty poor people.
4. If after Ẓuhr someone who is keeping a qaḍāʾ fast of Ramadan intentionally does something that invalidates his fast, he must give one mudd of food to ten poor people, and if he cannot, he must fast for three days.
