Q 797: Is it sufficient to give a needy person the money to buy one mudd (750
grams) of food instead of giving them the food itself?
A: If you are sure that the needy person who receives the money will buy the
food on your behalf and then take it as kaffarah, there is no problem in it.
Q 798: A person was appointed attorney to feed a group of needy persons. Can he
take his wages for the work and cooking he does from the kaffarah money with
which he was entrusted?
A: He can demand the wages for his work and for the cooking. But he cannot take
it from the kaffarah.
Q 799: A woman could not fast due to pregnancy and the approaching delivery. She
knew that after delivery she must, before the next Ramadan, perform qadaa’ for
the days she did not fast. However, she did not fast after delivery,
intentionally or otherwise, for several years. Does she have to pay only the
kaffarah for that year or for all the years she delayed the fasting?
A: Although performing the qadaa’ fasts has been delayed for several years, it
is obligatory to pay only one fidyah i.e. one mudd (750 grams) of food for each
day. Fidyah is required only if the qadaa’ is delayed until the next Ramadan due
to negligence and without any shar‘i excuse. If one has an excuse for the delay
preventing them from performing valid fasts, no fidyah is required.
Q 800: A women could not fast due to illness. She could not perform the qadaa’
before the next Ramadan either. Does she or her husband have to pay kaffarah?
A: If she did not fast nor performed its qadaa’ before next Ramadan, both due to
illness, she should pay fidyah, i.e. one mudd (750 grams) of food for each day
and nothing rests with her husband.
Q 801: A person was liable to perform the qadaa’ of ten Ramadan fasts and he
started them on the 20th of Sha‘ban. Can he break the fast intentionally before
or after the noon? And, if he does, what is the kaffarah for breaking it before
or after the noon?
A: In this case, it is not permissible for him to break his fast intentionally.
However, if he does break his fast intentionally before noon, he does not have
to pay any kaffarah. But if he breaks it intentionally in the afternoon, his
kaffarah is to feed ten needy persons. If he cannot afford to do so, he shall
fast for three days.
Q 802: A woman was pregnant during two consecutive Ramadans and could not fast
during those two years. Now that she is able to fast, what is her duty? Does she
only have to perform the qadaa’ for the two months, or does she have to carry
out the two fold kaffarah as well? What is the rule concerning her delaying the
fasting?
A: If she did not fast during the month of Ramadan due to a shar‘i excuse, she
is only liable for their qadaa’. However, if she did not fast because she feared
it might harm the fetus or the baby, she has to give fidyah, i.e. one mudd (750
grams) of food for each day, in addition to making their qadaa’. And if she
delayed the qadaa’ beyond the following Ramadan without a shar‘i excuse, another
fidyah is obligatory for her as well, i.e. she should give one mudd [750 grams]
of food to a poor person for each day.
Q 803: Someone has to perform qadaa’ and give kaffarah, must he observe their
sequence?
A: It is not obligatory.