Fidya: When You Cannot Fast, You Can Still Give
If illness, old age, pregnancy, or breastfeeding prevents you from fasting during Ramadan, Islam provides a merciful alternative: Fidya.
Fidya allows you to compensate for each missed fast by feeding a person in need.
What is Fidya and Who Must Pay It?
Fidya is a charitable payment required when a person is unable to fast during Ramadan for valid reasons and cannot make up the fasts later.
You must pay Fidya if you:
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Are elderly and physically unable to fast
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Have a chronic illness that prevents fasting
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Are pregnant or breastfeeding and fasting would harm you or your child
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Cannot make up the missed fasts at any other time
Fidya is not required for temporary illness. If you miss fasts due to illness but can make them up later, you should fast those days instead of paying Fidya.
The amount equals the cost of feeding one person for one day. For each missed fast, you pay £4.
How Your Fidya Reaches Those in Need
Your Fidya is distributed as food parcels and cash aid to poor and needy Muslims in Syria, Pakistan, and Palestine.
IAC delivers your Fidya to families living in poverty who struggle to afford food. Your payment provides them with nutritious meals during Ramadan, ensuring they can break their fast with dignity.
You can pay Fidya during Ramadan as you miss each fast, or pay it all at once as a lump sum when the month ends.
The Spiritual Significance of Fidya
Islam recognizes that not everyone can fast. Fidya ensures that when you cannot fulfill the physical act of fasting, you can still participate in Ramadan's spirit of generosity and care for others.
Your Fidya purifies your intention and transforms your inability to fast into an act of charity. A family struggling to afford food receives meals because of you. You fulfill your obligation while ensuring others can eat.
This is the mercy of Islam: even when your body cannot fast, your wealth can still serve Allah and His creation.
£4 Per Day
The cost of feeding one person for each missed fast.
£120 for 30 Days
Covers the entire month of Ramadan if you cannot fast.
Food Parcels
Distributed to poor and needy families in 3 countries.
Syria, Pakistan, Palestine
Your Fidya reaches families in these countries.
Pay Anytime
Give during Ramadan or as a lump sum after the month ends.
Frequently Asked Questions About Fidya
When do I give Fidya?
You can give Fidya during Ramadan as you miss fasts, or pay it all at once when the month ends as one lump sum.
How much is Fidya per missed fast?
The amount equals the cost of feeding one person for one day: £5 per fast.
What is the difference between Fidya and Kaffarah?
Fidya is for someone who cannot fast due to a valid, long-term reason (illness, old age, pregnancy). Kaffarah is a heavier penalty for deliberately breaking a fast without a valid reason.
Can I pay Fidya if I was temporarily ill?
No. If you missed fasts due to temporary illness but can make them up later, you should fast those days instead. Fidya is only for those who cannot make up the fasts at any time.