Kaffarah Calculator (Expiation)

By the Editorial Team · reviewed against our sources · updated September 2026 · guidance, not a fatwa

What kaffarah is

Kaffarah, from a root meaning to cover or wipe out, is an expiation prescribed for certain serious breaches, most notably deliberately breaking a Ramadan fast without a valid excuse and breaking a solemn oath. It is deliberately demanding, because its purpose is both to make amends and to deter people from treating sacred commitments lightly. Kaffarah is distinct from simply making up a missed fast and from fidya; it is a much weightier obligation reserved for intentional violations.

Kaffarah for breaking a Ramadan fast

This applies to a person who, while obliged to fast, deliberately breaks the fast without a valid excuse, for example by eating, drinking or engaging in intercourse intentionally during the fasting hours. The expiation for each such day is severe and follows a strict order:

The 60 days must be unbroken; if the chain is interrupted without a valid reason, many scholars require starting again. Only a person truly unable to complete the fasting moves to feeding 60 people. Note also that alongside the kaffarah, the day itself must generally still be made up (qadha).

Kaffarah for a broken oath

A separate kaffarah applies to someone who swears a solemn oath by God and then breaks it. The expiation, drawn from the Qur'anic instruction, offers a choice among three, and only if none is possible does the person fast:

For the oath kaffarah the giver may choose freely among feeding, clothing or freeing; the three-day fast is a fallback only for those unable to do any of them. Casual, unintended expressions that are not true oaths generally do not require kaffarah.

The order of options matters

A key point people miss is that the fasting-fast kaffarah is tiered: you must free a slave, then fast 60 days, and only feed 60 people if genuinely unable to fast. By contrast, the oath kaffarah is a free choice among feeding, clothing or freeing, with fasting three days only as a last resort. Choosing the wrong tier, for example paying to feed people when one is able to fast the 60 days for a broken fast, does not validly discharge the obligation in the majority view.

How kaffarah differs from fidya

Fidya and kaffarah are frequently confused, but they arise from opposite situations. Fidya is a gentle compensation for someone who cannot fast through no fault of their own. Kaffarah is a heavy penalty for someone who could have upheld the obligation but deliberately broke it.

Our fidya calculator covers the lighter compensation in full.

When each kaffarah applies

The fasting kaffarah applies only to an intentional, unexcused breaking of a fard Ramadan fast, and typically per day broken. It does not apply to breaking a voluntary (nafl) fast, nor to breaking a fast for a valid reason such as sudden illness. The oath kaffarah applies only to a genuine, binding oath sworn by God that is then broken. Vows and different types of oaths can carry their own rulings, so borderline cases should be checked.

How the calculator works

The calculator above lets you select the type of kaffarah (broken fast or broken oath), enter the number of days or oaths involved, and set your local per-meal rate for the feeding option. It then estimates the number of meals or the cash equivalent so you can plan the feeding route where fasting is not possible. Because meal costs are set locally and change yearly, confirm the current rate with a reputable local source.

Worked examples

Example 1 — broken fast, able to fast. A healthy man deliberately breaks one Ramadan fast without excuse. Since he is able, his kaffarah is to fast 60 consecutive days, and he must also make up the original day. Feeding 60 people is not open to him because he can fast.

Example 2 — broken fast, unable to fast. A woman with a medical condition that prevents 60 consecutive days of fasting deliberately broke one fast. Because she genuinely cannot fast, her kaffarah is to feed 60 needy people for that day, plus making up the day if able later.

Example 3 — broken oath. A man swears a binding oath and later breaks it. He chooses to feed 10 needy people an average meal. He does not fast three days, because that option is only for those unable to feed, clothe or free.

To see how expiations relate to the broader duties of giving, read about obligatory Zakat, voluntary Sadaqah and the lighter fidya, or return to the homepage calculators.

This page is general guidance only, not a fatwa; rulings vary by madhhab; consult a qualified scholar for your situation.

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