Question

Kindly guide as what is the Kaffarah for 1 fast being broken by a couple who performed intimate acts during daytime in Ramadan while fasting? Is it obligatory for both man and woman to do kaffarah? It had been a long time ago and I don’t remember how many time we did this, but we truly repent our mistake. It was done in ignorance. It is not possible for us to keep 2 months fast for each fast we have broken like this due to unknown numbers of fast (may be 50 or may be much more than that), we don’t remember.
What will be the ruling for my wife? She did it because of my pressure or not but has she repented much more than me.
Can we only feed the poor (60 persons or 60 meals per fast), instead of 2 months fast?
Your guidance is much appreciated in advance
Jazak Allah Khirun

Answer

Firstly, it is great to hear that both of you have deep regret and remorse over the sinful acts committed. In order to complete your repentance (tawbah) both spouses must also make a firm resolution to never repeat the sin.

Secondly, it is necessary for both spouses to make up for all of the broken fasts. If you do not know the exact amount, both of you must estimate the number of broken fasts to the best of your ability and make them up.

Furthermore, expiation (kaffarah) must be completed by both spouses even if the act was initiated by the husband. Each spouse only has to fulfil one kaffarah for all the fasts that were broken. You do not have to give a kaffarah for each of the 50 or so fasts, rather one set of 60 fasts will suffice. The 60 fasts must be kept consecutively. If the fasts are not kept consecutively, you will have to restart the 60 days. Therefore, this must be done at a time where the two ʿid days (ʿid al-fitr and ʿid al-adha) and the days of tashriq (the three days after ʿid al-adha) do not come in between, as it is unlawful to fast on these days. The only exception is for a woman in menstruation. She will abstain from fasting on those days and must continue right after becoming pure.

It must be noted that one does not have a choice between fasting the 60 days and feeding 60 poor individuals (fidyah). Rather it is necessary to fast the 60 days unless the individual is genuinely unable to fast due to old age or an illness that prevents them from fasting for example. Only then will they have the option of giving fidyah instead of fasting 60 days. It would be advisable to complete the kaffarah in the shorter winter days to create ease.

المبسوط للسرخسي (3/ 75) فإن جامع في رمضانين فقد ذكر في الكسائيات عن محمد – رحمه الله تعالى – أن عليه كفارتين لاعتبار تجدد حرمة الشهر والصوم وأكثر مشايخنا يقولون: لا اعتماد على تلك الرواية، والصحيح أن عليه كفارة واحدة لاعتبار معنى التداخل

الدر المختار وحاشية ابن عابدين (رد المحتار) (2/ 412)(قوله: ككفارة المظاهر) مرتبط بقوله وكفر أي مثلها في الترتيب فيعتق أولا فإن لم يجد صام شهرين متتابعين فإن لم يستطع أطعم ستين مسكينا…فلو أفطر ولو لعذر استأنف إلا لعذر الحيض

الدر المختار شرح تنوير الأبصار وجامع البحار (ص: 240) (متتابعين قبل المسيس ليس فيهما رمضان وأيام نهي عن صومها) وكذا كل صوم شرط فيه التتابع (فإن أفطر بعذر) كسفر ونفاس، بخلاف الحيض إلا إذا أيست

قال الله تعالى: فَمَن لَّمْ يَجِدْ فَصِيَامُ شَهْرَيْنِ مُتَتَابِعَيْنِ مِن قَبْلِ أَن يَتَمَآسَّا ۖ فَمَن لَّمْ يَسْتَطِعْ فَإِطْعَامُ سِتِّينَ مِسْكِينًۭا ۚ ذَٰلِكَ لِتُؤْمِنُوا۟ بِٱللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِۦ ۚ وَتِلْكَ حُدُودُ ٱللَّهِ ۗ وَلِلْكَـٰفِرِينَ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ(58:4)

اللباب في شرح الكتاب (3/ 72) (متتابعين) للنص عليه (ليس فيهما شهر رمضان) لأنه لا يقع عن الظهار؛ لما فيه من إبطال ما أوجبه الله تعالى (ولا يوم الفطر ولا يوم النحر ولا أيام التشريق) ؛ لأن الصوم في هذه الأيام منهى عنه، فلا ينوب عن الواجب الكامل، هداية

اللباب في شرح الكتاب (3/ 73) (وإن لم يستطع المظاهر الصيام) لمرض لا يرجى برؤه أو كبر سن

Answered by:
Ifta Research Fellow

Checked & Approved by:
Mufti Abdul Rahman Mangera
Mufti Zubair Patel