In Islam, there are particular rules put into place for missing obligations that Muslims are required to carry out. These rules state different payments that have to be made based on what obligation wasn’t completed and the reason for it. Kaffarah is one of these payments and acts as a fine to make amends with Allah (SWT) for certain mistakes. This covers obligations such as fasting, promises and oaths, and even covers sins that have been made. The payment is designed to allow Muslims to show mercy and seek forgiveness from Allah (SWT) for their sins and for not fulfilling their obligations. It is a unique opportunity to compensate for their actions that are completely avoidable.
As Kaffarah is a penalty for missed obligations, which includes breaking a fast intentionally, it’s a huge part of Ramadan. During this holy month, Muslims worldwide fast during daylight hours, abstaining from food and drink from sunrise to sunset. Fasting is a high form of worship and is one of the five pillars, known as Sawm, and is the key act of worship for the month to purify Muslims hearts and souls and renew their faith. The month also focuses on increased worship to connect closer to Allah (SWT) and focus on Islam, encouraging believers to stay devoted to their faith during the rest of the year. Ramadan offers immense rewards for those who observe it correctly and carry out the fasts. However, those who intentionally break the fast must make it up by paying Kaffarah. If a Muslim is ill, has not reached the age of puberty, menstruating or pregnant, old and frail, or even breaks their fast out of forgetfulness, then another payment is made known as Fidya. Because of this, it can be difficult to understand what payment must be made for not fulfilling the obligation and when it should be paid. Use our guide on when to pay Kaffarah to help you further understand this penalty and when it should be made.
Kaffarah is a payment that must be made as a type of redemption for Muslims to seek forgiveness from Allah (SWT) for their sins. It’s a payment that is given to charity to make amends, while helping those in need with a healthy, nutritious meal and the basic necessities that they can’t afford to have. Kaffarah also helps to cleanse a Muslim’s sins and start afresh after gaining forgiveness for their missed obligations. This penalty must be paid when a believer has gone against a significant Islamic obligation, with no valid reason as to why they have done this.
Kaffarah is typically a payment that comes up during the holy month of Ramadan because it is the time in the Islamic calendar when Muslims are obliged to fast. The payment is for those who intentionally break their fast at any time in the holy month without a valid reason. If they eat or drink, or do any prohibited actions during daylight hours and consciously know that they are doing this, it means they have intentionally broken their fast and need to pay Kaffarah. Even though this payment is used a lot during Ramadan, it isn’t limited only to this time. It’s also something that should be paid when Muslims don’t fulfil any other obligations, such as promises and oaths that they’ve made to Allah (SWT), or have sinned in other ways.
Many Muslims wonder when do you have to pay Kaffarah, as there are specific rules that outline when the payment must be made. Paying Kaffarah is only needed when a Muslim has purposely missed or broken certain religious duties without a proper reason for it. This also applies to those who consciously break their fast in Ramadan by eating, drinking or engaging in other activities that invalidate the fast during daylight hours. Making the payment is the only way to seek forgiveness from Allah (SWT) for these actions and start afresh with your faith.
However, if a fast in Ramadan or any other obligation is missed due to a reason out of a believer’s control, Kaffarah isn’t needed. Instead, there’s another payment for this known as Fidya, which is something that is tied to Ramadan. If you can’t fast or need to break a fast for a valid reason, whether that’s illness, travelling, menstruating or pregnancy or even unintentionally eating or drinking, then Fidya is paid. This is a payment for believers who cannot make up their missed fasts at a later date during the year, so those who won’t regain their strength to fast, such as the elderly.
So, is Kaffarah obligatory? The Kaffarah payment isn’t obligatory on everyone. It is something that only becomes obligatory for a Muslim when they purposely miss an obligation. This can be a fast during Ramadan or breaking a promise made to Allah (SWT) without a valid reason as to why the obligation wasn’t fulfilled.
Kaffarah is needed for breaking fast during the holy month of Ramadan. However, there isn’t just one way to make the payment and gain forgiveness from Allah (SWT). There are two actions that can be taken to make up for intentionally missing an obligation with no good reason. Kaffarah isn’t just simply paying a compensation to charity, as there are two pathways that can be taken to pay the penalty. According to Islamic tradition, you must choose one of the two actions that are outlined in regulations to make up for mistakes and achieve forgiveness. This means Muslims gain a way to be forgiven by Allah (SWT) that suits their needs and abilities, so that everyone can make amends no matter their situation. The actions that can be taken are:
Fasting for two consecutive months to be dedicated to rectifying the mistakes that have been made.
Feeding 60 people in need if fasting for two months back-to-back isn’t possible because of health or age. This payment is given to a charitable organisation, such as CLF, to ensure that the Kaffarah payment gets to those who need it most.
There is also Kaffarah for sins that can occur at any time of the year, not just in Ramadan. Even though breaking fasts, oaths and promises are sins, there are other sins that can be committed that call for the Kaffarah payment to be made. These sins can be:
Shaving while in Ihram also causes Kaffarah to be made if a quarter or more of the hair or beard is shaved.
Zihar is a sin that Muslims must pay Kaffarah for. This is when a husband equates his wife to his mother.
Intentional sexual acts during daylight hours of Ramadan required a Kaffarah payment that must be made because this breaks the fast.
There’s also a Kaffarah for breaking a promise that a Muslim has made to Allah (SWT). This is when a believer takes an oath in the name of Allah (SWT) to strengthen their words to do something or not do something. If this oath is broken at any point or not completed by a certain time that a Muslim has said they will do something by to God, then Kaffarah must be paid. The Kaffarah for breaking a promise is not the same as for other sins or breaking the fast in Ramadan. Instead, a believer must give Kaffarah to feed ten needy people with staple food items or to give clothing to them. If this isn’t possible, then a Muslim must fast for three consecutive days. This is shown in the Quran:
“Allah will not hold you responsible for your unintentional oaths, but He will hold you responsible for your deliberate oaths. The expiation for breaking such an oath is to feed ten needy people with an average of what you feed your families, or to clothe them, or to free a slave. Whoever cannot afford that must fast for three days. This is the expiation for your oaths when you swear. Keep your oaths. Thus does Allah make clear His laws to you, that you may be grateful.” [Q.S Al-Maidah: 89]
Unless stated otherwise for a particular sin, Kaffarah typically amounts to feeding 60 people in need, especially when a fast is broken intentionally in Ramadan. The cost of this is based on the price of staple food items in your region. This means that it can vary slightly depending on the region and the price of food each year. As well as this, the Kaffarah payment includes the cost of two meals per person, which needs to be considered when working out how much you owe to fulfil your duty.
This can be a challenge, but to make it easier, it’s important to know that Kaffarah equates to 750 grams of staple foods for 60 hungry people. This means that in total, you need to give a charity enough money to cover 45kg of these foods. For Ramadan 2025, this was around £300 in total for each intentionally missed or broken fast. So, when it comes to Ramadan 2026, it’s expected to be roughly the same cost. However, it can vary closer to the time, so it’s best to check at the time you need to pay Kaffarah.
Many Muslims wonder when to pay Kaffarah for intentionally missing a fast in Ramadan or committing any other sin at another point in the year. Unlike other forms of giving, such as Zakat, Kaffarah doesn’t have a timeline for when Kaffarah should be paid. It’s a payment that must be made as soon as possible once a sin has been committed. This means that Kaffarah shouldn’t be held off until a time when you can pay it. As soon as a fast is knowingly broken in Ramadan without a valid reason or a sin is committed for no good reason, then Kaffarah must be paid. This is because there are different ways to make it up to Allah (SWT) and be forgiven for what has been done. So, if a Muslim can’t fast for 60 days, then they can pay Kaffarah to charity instead. There’s always a way to seek forgiveness, so there’s no reason to delay the payment.
An effective way to gain forgiveness from Allah (SWT) for purposely breaking a fast during the holy month or for any other sin is to pay Kaffarah to a charitable organisation. Doing this ensures that every penny you have given will reach the most vulnerable communities across the world. At Community Lighthouse Foundation, we use your Kaffarah donations to help those in desperate need of food and basic necessities. We aim to quickly distribute your funds to feed the hungry and provide them with nourishment. Your donation can help to save lives and bring hope for a brighter future. Donate Kaffarah to reach the most needy and transform their lives through healthy, nutritious meals, while fulfilling your obligations and gaining forgiveness.
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