As the holy month of Ramadan continues, Islamic scholars have outlined the specific provisions for those who fail to complete their fasts, categorising the required restitution into Kaza, Kaffara, and Fidya.
These measures serve as a means of rectifying errors or addressing situations where a fast is broken or cannot be observed.
The hierarchy of Kaffara
When a fast is broken without a valid or logical necessity, an individual is required to observe both Kaza (making up the fast) and Kaffara (expiation). Most jurists (Faqihs) agree that Kaffara must be fulfilled following a specific order of priority: first, by freeing a slave; if that is not possible, by fasting for 60 consecutive days; and if the individual is physically unable to fast, by providing two meals to 60 impoverished people.
Calculation of fasting penalties
The sources clarify that for every fast broken without a valid excuse, one Kaza is required, supplemented by a single Kaffara for that specific month of Ramadan. Consequently, if an individual breaks one fast, they must observe a total of 61 days (1 Kaza + 60 Kaffara); for two broken fasts, the total becomes 62 days, and for three, it reaches 63 days.
How to continue
A critical aspect of Kaffara is that the 60 days of fasting must be observed without interruption. If the sequence is broken before completion without a legitimate excuse, the individual must restart the entire 60-day cycle from the beginning. In such instances, the fasts already completed are categorised as voluntary (Nafil).
However, exceptions are made for valid emergencies or unavoidable circumstances. Specifically, women are permitted to pause the sequence during their menstrual cycles, resuming their consecutive count immediately afterward without needing to restart.
Fasting is not mandatory for children who have not yet reached maturity. While many minors choose to fast out of personal interest or encouragement from elders, if they happen to break a fast – whether intentionally or unintentionally – they are not required to observe either Kaza or Kaffara.
