Fidya & Kaffarah – Feed People in Need

Fidya and Kaffarah: feeding the needy when fasting is not possible

Out of His mercy, Allah has given those who cannot fast a way to make up for it by feeding someone in need, and has made expiations (kaffarah) a way to set right a mistake while bringing good to the poor. Through this campaign, Elvefa delivers your fidya or kaffarah as food to displaced and struggling families.

Who pays fidya?

Fidya is due from someone who cannot fast because of a permanent condition with no expected recovery — such as old age or a chronic illness. They feed one needy person for every day they do not fast. Someone who is ill but expected to recover, or who is travelling, makes up the missed days instead. For pregnancy, breastfeeding and special cases, read Fidya for missed Ramadan fasts.

Expiations you can pay through us

• Kaffarah for a broken oath: feeding or clothing ten needy people; if that is not possible, fasting three days.
• Kaffarah for deliberately breaking a Ramadan fast through intercourse: fasting two consecutive months; if that is not possible, feeding sixty needy people.
• Other expiations where feeding the poor is one of the options — see Kaffarah in Islam.

How much is fidya?

The cost of feeding one person is set every year based on food prices and guidance from scholarly bodies. Elvefa publishes the fidya amount for 1448 AH on this page at the start of Ramadan — multiply it by the number of days or people, enter the total in the donation form and note the type of fidya or kaffarah in the message field.

How your fidya is delivered

We turn fidya and kaffarah funds into meals and food baskets for eligible families, and your receipt is emailed to you. Elvefa is a US 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit (EIN 37-2183692).