Fidya, Kaffarah and missed fasts: what to check first
By HalalCalculator · Published 6 October 2026 · Updated 7 October 2026 · Educational guidance
A missed fast does not automatically mean that a monetary payment is due. The reason, ability to make it up and other circumstances matter. Temporary illness and permanent inability are different situations. Ask a qualified scholar about your circumstances before selecting a payment category.
Fidya and making up fasts
Fidya is discussed in connection with people who cannot fast and cannot make up those fasts under the applicable conditions. Someone able to make up a fast may need to do so instead. Our calculator estimates the monetary total only after you confirm that Fidya applies.
Kaffarah is a separate subject
Kaffarah for deliberately breaking a fast and Kaffarah for breaking an oath involve different rules. They should not be combined into a single generic payment button. This first version does not calculate a binding Kaffarah obligation.
Use a current local rate
Charities publish their own feeding-cost estimates, which may change by place and year. Enter the rate supplied by the charity or authority you intend to use. The calculator multiplies eligible days by that rate; it does not assert a universal price.
Write down the next action
If you need to make up fasts, use the missed fast planner to organise a realistic routine. If you need a payment estimate, record the chosen rate and source. Seek medical advice about fasting when a health condition is involved.
Keep three tasks separate
| Task | Useful tool or next step |
|---|---|
| Confirm what applies to your circumstances | Qualified scholarly guidance |
| Organise confirmed fasts to make up | Missed fast planner |
| Estimate confirmed Fidya | Days × verified feeding rate |
| Assess a Kaffarah obligation | Separate specialist assessment; not this calculator |
An estimate after eligibility is confirmed
If guidance confirms that Fidya applies to five missed days and your chosen organisation’s rate is £6 per day, the arithmetic total is £30. If guidance instead says the fasts should be made up, that same multiplication does not turn the situation into a £30 payment obligation. This distinction is more important than the accuracy of the multiplication.
Information to have ready
Record how many fasts were missed, why they were missed, whether the inability is temporary or ongoing, and what advice you have already received. Where health is involved, medical advice and religious guidance answer different questions and may both be relevant.
Choose the next action carefully
Use the missed fast planner only for fasts you have confirmed need making up. Use the Fidya calculator only after confirming that Fidya applies. Both tools help organise a decision already established through suitable guidance; neither assesses your individual circumstances.
Common questions
Can the calculator decide whether Fidya applies?
No. Confirm your circumstances with qualified guidance first. The tool multiplies confirmed eligible days by a verified rate; it does not decide the underlying obligation.
Can I use one figure for every charity?
Use the current rate and payment requirements of the organisation or authority you intend to follow. Feeding-cost estimates can vary by location and year.
Put the plan into practice
Use the related tool with your own verified inputs, then keep a record of the result and its assumptions.
Open the toolSources and further reading
Read the reference guidance. See our editorial standards and review status. Our article is an original educational summary, not a scholarly ruling. Where a rule depends on your circumstances, confirm it with a qualified adviser.