Kaffarah Rules for Intentionally Breaking a Ramadan Fast
kaffarah for breaking Ramadan fast intentionally.
It all happens in one brief and distracted moment. A drink of water taken by default due to habit or quickly discarded out of frustration due to having had a long day, but suddenly the weight of regret feels much heavier than any pangs of hunger that had been experienced before.
Anyone who has quietly asked themselves, “Have I broken my fast already” during the month of Ramadan understands exactly what this feels like. The next question is almost inevitable: what is the kaffarah for breaking the Ramadan fast deliberately?
Some individuals go in quest of an answer for what is kaffarah for breaking Ramadan fast intentionally, but all that they encounter is a wall of fiqh terminology with no hint of the way forward. Articles tend to immediately take you through 60 days of fasting without considering whether the issue requires you to fast in the first place. Other articles fail to distinguish between qada and kaffarah.
In this article, one will go through the practical steps on how to fulfill the requirement of kaffarah in case one intentionally breaks a Ramadan fast based on what has been mentioned in the Holy Qur’an and the true hadith. This is done in order for the person reading to know exactly what he should do.
What Is Kaffarah for Breaking a Ramadan Fast Intentionally?
Kaffarah is an act of expiation. It is what a Muslim owes Allah after deliberately violating the sanctity of an obligatory Ramadan fast, and it is separate from a sin’s forgiveness, which still requires sincere tawbah.
Allah says in the Quran regarding the fasts of Ramadan:
“So whoever among you sights the month, let him fast it, and whoever is ill or on a journey, then an equal number of other days.” (Surah Al-Baqarah, 2:185)
This verse establishes that the fast is a fixed obligation, and it is exactly why deliberately breaking it carries real consequences rather than a simple apology.
What Does Kaffarah Mean in Islam?
Kaffarah literally means “covering” or “expiation.” In fiqh, it refers to a specific act, not a vague feeling of remorse, prescribed to atone for a defined violation such as breaking an oath, violating ihram, or breaking a Ramadan fast without a valid excuse.
When Does Kaffarah Become Obligatory?
Kaffarah for breaking Ramadan fast intentionally becomes obligatory when an adult, sane Muslim who was already fasting deliberately invalidates that fast, most commonly through eating, drinking, or sexual intercourse, without any Shar’i excuse such as illness or travel.
Is Kaffarah Required for Every Missed Ramadan Fast?
No, and this is kinda where most pieces get it wrong. According to the Hanafi position, kaffarah applies to a fast that was already started and then on purpose broken , like deliberately.
But if someone never really began the fast at all and just left that day out on purpose, the majority of scholars say that only qada is due, plus sincere repentance , and not the whole kaffarah.
What Is the Kaffarah for Intentionally Breaking a Ramadan Fast?
The best proof that could be given in regard to the kaffarah for the person who intentionally broke his fast in Ramadan is that of a famous Hadith where a man approached the Messenger of Allah ﷺ distressed by what he had done.
Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that a man came to the Prophet ﷺ and said, “I am ruined, O Messenger of Allah.” The Prophet ﷺ asked him, “Can you afford to free a slave?” He said no. The Prophet ﷺ asked, “Can you fast for two consecutive months?” He said no. The Prophet ﷺ asked, “Can you feed sixty poor persons?” He said no. (Sahih al-Bukhari 1936, Sahih Muslim 1111)
From this hadith, scholars derived a fixed sequence for the kaffarah:
- Free a slave, a ruling that applied in a historical context that no longer exists in practice today.
- If unable, fast 60 consecutive days without a break.
- If genuinely unable to fast, feed 60 poor people.
This order matters. A person cannot skip straight to feeding the poor simply because it feels easier. The Prophet ﷺ moved to the next option only after the man confirmed he was truly unable to fulfill the one before it.
Do You Have to Fast 60 Consecutive Days?
Yes, if a person is physically able to fast, the kaffarah requires 60 consecutive days without interruption. This is separate from qada, which only requires making up the single day that was broken.
Can You Feed 60 Poor People Instead?
Feeding 60 poor individuals will only be justified when the individual really cannot fast for two consecutive months owing to a serious ailment or due to old age, or any other genuine hardship. It does not mean that fasting for 60 poor people is easier than fasting itself.
Does Kaffarah Also Require Qada?
Yes. Under the position followed by the Hanafi school, breaking a Ramadan fast intentionally requires both qada and kaffarah together, because two separate obligations were violated.
Qada is making up the specific day of fasting that was broken.
Kaffarah is the expiation owed for the seriousness of breaking an already-started obligatory fast.
A person who only completes the kaffarah fast of 60 days but never makes up the original broken day has not fulfilled their full obligation. The single missed day of Ramadan still needs to be repaid on its own, usually after Ramadan ends.
What Acts Require Kaffarah During Ramadan?
Contemporary fiqh sources built on the hadith above generally identify a small number of acts that trigger kaffarah when done deliberately and without excuse.
- Intentionally eating during the fasting hours.
- Intentionally drinking during the fasting hours.
- Sexual intercourse during the day while fasting.
Sexual intercourse is mentioned specifically as an action in the hadith and is often viewed as the most definite reason for giving the complete kaffarah. Intentional eating and drinking is another condition which calls for kaffarah according to the Hanafi ruling; however, it is important to always consult with an expert on one’s individual case.
Masturbation is a separate discussion. It invalidates the fast according to the majority of scholars, but whether it specifically necessitates the full kaffarah, as opposed to qada alone, is a point where scholarly opinions differ, so this situation deserves individual guidance rather than a blanket answer.
When Is Kaffarah Not Required?
This section matters just as much as the one above, because plenty of people carry guilt over situations that never required kaffarah in the first place.
- Eating or drinking out of forgetfulness. The Prophet ﷺ said: “Whoever forgets that he is fasting and eats or drinks should complete his fast, for it is Allah who has fed him and given him drink.” (Sahih al-Bukhari 1933, Sahih Muslim 1155). The fast remains valid, and nothing further is owed.
- A valid Islamic excuse. Illness, travel, menstruation, and postpartum bleeding all exempt a person from that day’s fast, and only qada is required once the excuse ends.
- Intentionally missing a fast without ever starting it. According to several scholars, this requires qada and sincere tawbah, but not the full kaffarah described above, since kaffarah is tied to breaking a fast that had already begun.
- Genuinely unintentional acts, such as water accidentally entering the throat while gargling, are treated with leniency and do not carry kaffarah.
How to Perform Kaffarah for Breaking a Ramadan Fast
For someone who has confirmed that kaffarah applies to their situation, the practical steps look like this.
Make sincere tawbah. Regret the act, stop it, and resolve not to repeat it. Allah says: “And turn to Allah in repentance, all of you, O believers, that you might succeed.” (Surah An-Nur, 24:31)
Make up the broken fast (qada). This is a separate day owed on top of the kaffarah, usually completed before the next Ramadan.
Proceed to perform the kaffarah through completing the order of freeing a slave, if possible, then fasting for 60 consecutive days, or feeding 60 poor people if fasting is not really possible.
Guard the 60 consecutive days. Should this period be broken without a valid Shar’i reason, most of the scholars believe that one should start counting from the first day again.
Kaffarah vs Qada vs Fidyah: What Is the Difference?
| Term | Basic Meaning | Typical Situation |
| Qada | Making up a missed fast | Any Ramadan fast day that was broken or missed |
| Kaffarah | Expiation for a serious violation | Deliberately breaking an already-started Ramadan fast without excuse |
| Fidyah | Compensation, usually feeding one person per day | Someone permanently unable to fast, such as the chronically ill or elderly |
Understanding this table clears up most of the confusion around kaffarah for breaking Ramadan fast intentionally, because these three terms are often used interchangeably online when they actually describe three different obligations.
What This Ruling Asks of the Heart, Not Just the Calendar
Sixty days without food is a tough penalty to bear; that is what is intended. For it to ensure that the gravity of the offense registers, it must allow sufficient time for this to happen, and not let the lapse be overlooked.
What tends to get lost in the technical side of kaffarah is the reason it exists at all. Ramadan was never meant to be endured through willpower alone. It was built to soften a person from the inside, and a broken fast, followed by honest accountability, is often where that softening quietly begins.
Understanding your specific kaffarah situation on your own is difficult, and a structured Fiqh course at Miftah Alhuda can walk you through the actual rulings with a qualified teacher: explore our Islamic Fiqh courses.
If you would rather start with a conversation before committing to a full course, you can book a free trial session and ask your questions directly.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Kaffarah for Breaking Ramadan Fast
How much is the kaffarah for breaking a Ramadan fast? It is fasting 60 consecutive days, or feeding 60 poor people if fasting is not possible, following the sequence established in the hadith of Abu Hurairah.
Do I have to fast 60 days consecutively? Yes. If the streak is interrupted without a valid Shar’i excuse, most scholars say the 60 days must be restarted.
Can I pay money instead of fasting 60 days? Only if you are genuinely unable to fast, and even then, the obligation is to feed 60 poor people rather than make an arbitrary cash payment.
Do I need both qada and kaffarah? Under the Hanafi position, yes. Kaffarah covers the expiation, and qada separately covers the single day that was broken.
Does accidentally breaking a fast require kaffarah? No. Forgetful eating or drinking does not invalidate the fast at all, based on the hadith in Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim.
Does intentionally missing a Ramadan fast without starting it require kaffarah? According to several scholars, this requires qada and sincere repentance, but not the full kaffarah tied to breaking an already-started fast.