Meaning of
al-Kaffarah and its rulings: Al-Kaffarah is to pay, in order
to gain forgiveness for the sin committed in the state of fasting. This
payment
should be done in one of the following ways,
1. To set a slave free, if he couldn't find any, then,
2. He should fast two consecutive months; if he couldn't do that, then
3. He should provide food for sixty poor people on the average scale of
that
which he feeds his own family.
Al-Kaffarah must be carried out in the same order as mentioned above. It
is not
permissible to transfer from one state to another unless one cannot
afford the
previous option.
Allah burdens not a person beyond his scope: One who has to make
al-Kaffarah but is unable to free a slave or fast two consecutive
months, or
feed the poor - then, nothing is binding upon him, since, Allah, the
Most High,
says, "Allah burdens not a person beyond his scope."
This is also
manifested
from the following Hadeeth. Abu Hurayrah (radhi allahu anhu) narrates, "A man
came to the Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) and said, 'O Messenger
of
Allah (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam)! I am destroyed.'
He (sallallahu
alaihi
wa-sallam) asked, 'What has destroyed you?' He said, 'I cohabited with
my wife
in Ramadaan.' He (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) asked, 'Are you able to
free a
slave?' He replied, 'No.' The Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam)
asked, 'Are
you able to fast two months consecutively?' The man replied, 'No.' He
(sallallahu
alaihi wa-sallam) asked, 'Are you able to feed sixty poor people?" He
replied,
'No.' The Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) said, 'Then sit.' So, he
sat
down. Then a large basket of palm leaves containing dates was brought to
the
Prophet and he (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) said, 'Give this in
charity.' He
said, 'There is no one between its two lava-plains poorer than us.' So
the
Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) smiled until his molar teeth
became
visible and said, 'Take it and feed it to your family.' [The Hadeeth is
established with various wordings. Saheeh al-Bukharee (11/516), Saheeh
Muslim
(no. 1/11) Abu Dawood (no. 2390), at-Tirmidhee (no. 724), Ibn Majah (no.
1671)
and others]
Is Kaffarah Binding Upon the Woman? "...The wife must also offer
expiation for having intercourse if she willingly went along with her
husband in
that. But if she was forced then she does not have to do anything"
[See, Fatawa
al-Lajnah, (10/320)]
Only Sexual Intercourse in the State of Fasting Requires al-Qadaa and
al-Kaffarah
Sexual intercourse is the most serious and the most sinful of the things
that
invalidate the fast. Whoever deliberately has intercourse during the day
in
Ramadaan with his or her own free will, in which the two parts meet, and
penetratration occurs, has invalidated his fast, regardless of whether
ejaculation takes place or not. Whoever commits such a sin has to
repent,
complete that day (i.e., not eat or drink until sunset), perform
al-Qadaa and
al-Kaffarah.
Ibn al-Qayyim writes in Zaadul-Ma'aad (2/60), "The Qur'aan shows that
sexual
intercourse breaks the fast, just like eating and drinking - no
disagreement is
known concerning this."
Ash-Shawkaanee said in ad-Daraariyyu-Mudiyyah (2/22), "There is no
disagreement
that sexual intercourse breaks the fast if it is done deliberately,
however, if
it is done due to forgetfulness then some scholars make it the same as
one who
eats or drinks forgetfully (i.e., nothing is binding upon the person)."
Permission to Refrain from Fasting and pay al-Fidya only Meaning of
al-Fidya
and its Rulings:
Al-Fidya is to abstain from fasting or break one's fast in Ramadaan, due
to
legal excuse, and feed a poor person for each day (either lunch or
supper) on
the average scale of that which one feeds his own family.
One can either feed a poor person for each day individually or gather
poor
people according to the number of days that require al-Fidya and feed
them all
at once. [See, Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa'imah (10/198)]
Or one may give each poor Saa' (i.e. half kg and ten gm) of good wheat
and it
is better to offer it with some meat and oil. Al-Fidya should be offered in Ramadan and not before that.
People who are Granted the Permission to Refrain from Fasting and
Offer
al-Fidya Only:
Old men and women, who are incapable of observing fasts in Ramadaan, may
recompense for it by offering al-Fidya. Abdullah Ibn Abbas (radhi allahu
anhu)
narrates, "Old people are allowed to refrain from fasting. But for every
missed
fast, one should feed the poor and he is not obliged to make al-Qadha."
[Daraqutni
and al-Hakim]
A sick person whose health is not likely to improve, for example, if one
is
afflicted with the incurable disease of cancer then he should offer
al-Fidya.
FATAWA
Old Age which Entitles one to Abstain from Fasting and Pay al-Fidya
only
Allamah Abdullah Ibn Jibreen (hafidahullah) replied, "If an old person
becomes
totally and physically unable to observe the fasting then such a person
will
become exempted from fasts and he must offer al-Fidya... However, if the
old
person reaches the age of lack of recognition, then fasting will become
un-required from him. Such a person is not even required to pay
al-Fidya....
Such a person will become unaccountable for his deeds just like a minor
or an
insane." Fatawa on Fasting, Zakaat and Taraweeh. Published by Darussalam
Taken from As-Sunnah Newsletter 
