Free Fidya & Kaffarah Calculator
Calculate fidya for Ramadan fasts that cannot be made up and kaffarah for a fast broken deliberately, from the cost of feeding one person a day in your own currency.
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How to calculate fidya and kaffarah for Ramadan fasts
Work out fidya for fasts that cannot be made up and kaffarah for a fast broken deliberately, from the cost of feeding one person a day where you live.
- Choose your currency and replace the example meal cost with the rate published by your mosque or a charity you trust.
- Enter the number of fasts that cannot be made up, for fidya.
- Enter any Ramadan fasts broken deliberately where your school requires kaffarah, and choose whether several broken fasts count separately or once per Ramadan.
- Read the fidya, the kaffarah and the total, with the number of people to feed and the fasting days kaffarah would otherwise require.
- Copy the summary to send with your payment or to check with a scholar.
When fidya or kaffarah applies
Fidya is the compensation for a Ramadan fast that a person cannot keep and is not expected to make up, for example because of old age or a lasting illness. Surah Al-Baqarah 2:184 refers to feeding a poor person for those who can fast only with great hardship. For each such day, one person in need is fed.
Kaffarah is the expiation for breaking a Ramadan fast deliberately without a valid reason in the cases a school requires it. All four Sunni schools require it for intercourse during the fast, based on a hadith in al-Bukhari and Muslim; the Hanafi and Maliki schools also require it for deliberate eating or drinking. Most scholars require fasting 60 consecutive days, with feeding 60 people in need only for someone unable to fast them. Missed fasts with a temporary excuse are normally made up later (qada) instead.
Worked example with an example meal cost
Suppose the local charity rate is 10 per person per day. An elderly person who could not fast all 30 days of Ramadan and cannot make them up owes fidya of 30 × 10 = 300, which feeds 30 meals for people in need.
Someone who deliberately broke one fast where kaffarah applies and cannot fast 60 consecutive days would feed 60 people: 60 × 10 = 600. With two such fasts in the same Ramadan the result is 1,200 if each day counts separately, as in the Shafi'i, Maliki and Hanbali schools, or 600 under the Hanafi view that one kaffarah covers both.
How the amounts are calculated
Fidya = days that cannot be made up × the cost of feeding one person for a day. Kaffarah by feeding = number of kaffarahs × 60 people × the same cost. With the per-Ramadan option, the number of kaffarahs is the number of different Ramadans involved, up to the number of broken fasts.
The meal cost is yours to set. Many organisations base it on two average meals or on a set measure of a staple food such as wheat, rice or dates, and they publish a figure each year, so the default of 10 is only an example.
Common mistakes to avoid
Paying fidya for days that can still be made up is a common mistake; those days are normally fasted later. Another is forgetting that a fast broken deliberately must be made up as well as any kaffarah.
Rates differ widely between countries and charities, so use the figure that applies where the food will be given. If your situation is unusual, such as pregnancy, breastfeeding or a long-term illness that may improve, ask a scholar which rule applies to you.
Useful tips and limitations
- Pay fidya through a charity that confirms it feeds people in need, and keep the receipt with the number of days covered.
- Write down the days you still have to make up so that qada and fidya are not mixed up.
- Many charities accept fidya and kaffarah online and send them to the countries where food costs least; check how they distribute it.
- Keep a note of the number of days paid for, so that nothing is counted twice next year.
Common questions
How much is fidya per day?
It is the cost of feeding one poor person for a day. There is no single worldwide figure: mosques and charities publish local rates based on two meals or a set amount of staple food, so enter the rate that applies where you give.
Does the Fidya & Kaffarah Calculator decide whether I owe fidya or kaffarah?
No. It only multiplies the days by the meal cost. Whether fidya, make-up fasts or kaffarah apply depends on your circumstances and school of thought, so ask a scholar if you are unsure.
Can fidya be paid before Ramadan ends?
Scholars differ: some allow fidya for the whole month to be paid at the start of Ramadan, while others allow it only for days that have already begun. Follow the guidance of your school or local scholars.
Can kaffarah be paid in money in the Fidya & Kaffarah Calculator?
The calculator shows the cost of feeding 60 people. The Hanafi school allows giving the value in money, while other schools require the food itself; many charities buy and distribute the food on your behalf. Ask your scholar if you are unsure.
Does the Fidya & Kaffarah Calculator use a fixed rate?
No. You enter the cost of feeding one person a day in your own currency, and every amount uses that figure.
Everything you enter is calculated in your browser. Nothing is uploaded and no account is needed. Copy or download your results before leaving the page.