What is Fidya?
Fidya, is a compulsory charitable donation which must be made if you are unable to fast during Ramadan.
Ways to Donate
Fidya
When you are unable to fast, Allah (swt) still allows you to share in the reward of Ramadan by donating Fidya to the poor. Fidya is obligatory upon the person who cannot fast for a valid health-related reason. Paying Fidya means you are able to relieve the hunger of a fasting person by providing them with Suhoor and Iftar meals in Ramadan. If you need to pay Fidya, you should aim to donate enough funds to feed a poor person two whole meals for each missed day of fasting. Feeding someone in need in this way relieves hunger and the religious obligation upon you.
You may have missed or been exempt from fasting due to pregnancy, illness, old age or any other reason which prevents you from making the fasts up later. If you fall into any of these categories, then you must strive to pay Fidya. If you miss a fast without an appropriate reason then you are not eligible for paying Fidya. Instead, you should pay Kaffarah, which is the act of either fasting for 60 continuous days or feeding 60 poor individuals for each missed day’s fast.
Fidya / Kaffara
When someone cannot fast in Ramadan and can’t make up the lost days afterwards (for example, because of ill health or pregnancy), then they should pay (Fidya) for someone else to be fed.
To make up for missing fasts in Ramadan is a commandment from Allah SWT.
Fasting is for a fixed number of days, and if one of you be sick, or if one of you be on a journey, you will fast the same number of other days later on. For those who are capable of fasting (but still do not fast) there is a redemption: feeding a needy man for each day missed. Whoever voluntarily does more good than is required, will find it better for him; and that you should fast is better for you, if you only know.
(Qur’an 2:184)
Note: Fidya is primarily for those who are suffering from long term illness or unable to fast due to old age (many scholars also include pregnancy in this category), and are not able to make up the fasts after Ramadan.
The Fidya amount required to be paid for one missed fast (which cannot be made up afterwards) is $5 . To calculate how much Fidya you need to pay, multiply $5 by the number of fasts you have missed out of necessity.Give your Fidya now.
$5 is the Fidya for each missed fast. This should provide one person with two meals or two people with one meal. However, if someone misses all the fasts of Ramadan, they would need to pay $150. Give your Fidya now
Fidya is paid for deliberately missing a fast with a valid reason to do so, however,Kaffarah is only paid if you miss or break a fast without a valid reason. The amount paid in fidya for each missed fast is equivalent to feeding one person. However, when paying kaffarah, the payment for each missed fast is the equivalent of feeding 60 people.
You are eligible to pay fidya if you have missed or are exempt from fasting due to pregnancy, illness, old age or any other reason which prevents you from making the fasts up later.
Fidyah is to be given only to the poor and needy, not to everyone. Scholars consider Fidyah to be like Zakat, therefore those entitled to receive Fidyah are regarded as being among those who are entitled to Zakat.
Fidya (Fidyah) is a religious donation to help those in need. It is only paid when someone is unable to fast during Ramadan due to medical conditions, pregnancy or any other valid reasons such as a prolonged illness, and will not be able to make up the fast.
You’re supposed to pay it before you miss a fast, or before Ramadan if you know you can’t participate for the whole month.
Fasting during Ramadan is an obligation on all able Muslims and is one of the Five Pillars of Islam. Muslims must pay kaffarah or fidya when missing this fundamental aspects of Islam, with a valid reason or not. Charity, as well as compulsory payments like these, emphasize just what an important aspect of Islam the holy month of Ramadan is.
Fidya is a donation that must be paid to feed the poor for not making up fasts missed in Ramadan on time. $5 should be paid for each missed fast. Donations can be made online
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