كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الصِّيَامُ
Fasting and Fidya
Who is excused from fasting, and what Fidya means for those who cannot fast at all
"O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed upon you as it was prescribed on those before you, so that you may learn self-restraint." — Surah Al-Baqarah (2:183)
What About Those Who Cannot Fast?
Allah says: "(Fast) a certain number of days; and (for) him who is sick among you, or on a journey, (the same) number of other days; and for those who can afford it there is a ransom: the feeding of a man in need — but whoso doeth good of his own accord, it is better for him: and that ye fast is better for you if ye did but know." — Surah Al-Baqarah (2:183)
This verse introduces two different paths for someone unable to fast: making up the missed days later, or — for those permanently unable to fast — offering Fidya instead.
🍚 What Is Fidya?
Meaning of Al-Fidya
- Fidya is a payment given to a poor person when someone is unable to fast during Ramadan due to a valid, permanent excuse such as illness or old age
- It means feeding a poor person for each missed day — either lunch or supper — on the average scale of what one feeds their own family
- One may feed a poor person individually for each day, or gather several poor people according to the number of days owed and feed them all together
- Alternatively, one may give one Saa' (roughly half a kilogram plus ten grams) of good wheat per day — better still if offered alongside some meat and oil
- Fidya should be given during Ramadan itself, not before it begins
The price of Fidya should be calculated based on local wheat prices where the person resides. There is some difference of opinion on the details between the different schools of thought — if in doubt, ask your local Imam.
The Hanafi School's Conditions
In the Hanafi school, Fidya is only paid by a person who is not able to fast at all. This means all three of the following conditions must be met:
🌿 All Three Conditions Must Be Fulfilled
- Cannot fast in Ramadan, and
- Cannot make up the missed fasts at any other time of the year, and
- Is not expected to ever regain the ability to make up the missed fasts
If even one of these conditions is not met, Fidya is not paid — instead, the missed fasts must be made up later. For example, a person with an incurable illness such as cancer, whose health is not likely to improve, should offer Fidya.
When Fidya Does Not Apply
In the Hanafi school, there is no Fidya owed in the following situations — only make-up fasts are required:
- A pregnant or nursing woman who does not fast during Ramadan — she only performs make-up fasts
- Delaying make-up fasts from the current Ramadan until the next Ramadan has entered
- Missing a few days of fasting due to a temporary illness
- Accidentally or deliberately breaking a fast
- Being unable to fast this year due to surgery or similar, but expected to fast again next year
- Being unable to fast in summer's long days, but able to make up the fasts during winter's shorter days
📌 An Important Condition
For Fidya to apply, the inability to fast must be expected to remain until death. If someone regains the ability to fast after having already paid Fidya, the payment already given becomes charity (Sadaqah), and the person must then perform the make-up fasts instead. Allah knows best.