Broken oaths, deliberately broken fasts, and zihar — what each kaffarah costs and how to work it out.
Published September 1, 2026 · Reviewed by the Ihsabha Editorial Team
Kaffarah (كفارة) is an act of expiation required after certain deliberate religious violations. Unlike fidyah, which applies when someone is permanently unable to fulfil an obligation, kaffarah applies when a specific act — breaking an oath, deliberately breaking a Ramadan fast, or zihar — has already happened and needs to be atoned for. The amount and form depend entirely on which violation occurred.
When someone swears an oath by Allah and then breaks it, the expiation follows a set order of options:
The first three options are considered equivalent alternatives; fasting is only used when someone genuinely cannot afford to feed or clothe 10 people.
This is the strictest category, and it only applies to a fast broken deliberately and without a valid excuse (for example, eating on purpose, not illness or travel). The scale is:
This kaffarah is owed in addition to making up the missed day itself (qada) — it does not replace it.
Zihar (a specific and now rare form of estrangement declared between spouses) carries its own kaffarah: freeing a slave, or if not possible, fasting 2 consecutive months, or if that's not possible, feeding 60 poor people.
Suppose someone deliberately breaks 2 days of their Ramadan fast without excuse and is unable to fast 60 consecutive days for health reasons. They would owe 60 poor people fed for each day — 120 people fed in total (or its cash equivalent, based on the average cost of a meal locally), in addition to making up the 2 missed fasting days separately.
Work out your exact amount instantly. Ihsabha's Kaffarah Calculator walks through the violation type and calculates the number of people to feed or days to fast, using current local meal-cost estimates.
Kaffarah is a religious expiation owed for specific serious violations, such as deliberately breaking a Ramadan fast without a valid excuse, breaking a sworn oath, or zihar. It is separate from fidyah, which covers permanently missed worship.
Kaffarat al-yamin is feeding 10 poor people (or clothing them), or freeing a slave where applicable. If none of these are possible, fasting 3 consecutive days is the alternative.
The classical scale is fasting 60 consecutive days; if that is not possible, feeding 60 poor people, roughly one meal or its cash equivalent per person, per day broken.
Which kaffarah applies, and in what order the options are followed, can depend on personal circumstances and school of thought. This guide covers the widely-followed general rulings. For your specific situation, especially around zihar or repeated violations, confirm with a qualified local scholar.