feedyah

[e1_tea]

assalamo alaeekum,

ustadz, i have a friend here in melbourne. his wife is breastfeeding, and want to know how much she has to pay for feedyah for not fasting here in melbourne?

jazakallah khair

[Aslam AbuIsmaeel]

Assalamu alaikum

Does a breast feeding woman do fidyah or qada or both?
A breast feeding woman doing fidyah only for missing a fast is the opinion of a small minority of scholars.  Far more scholars said that she does qada (makes up the fast later) as well as do fidyah per days missed.  Most scholars, however, said she should do qada only and no fidyah.  This is the strongest opinion of the scholars in this matter as I explained in my notes for 'Ramadan Knights' or you can find it on the net elsewhere on many websites.  So, I suggest this lady to do Qada as most scholars said and as it is the strongest opinion, Allah knows best.

If she was doing fidyah, then ...

Fidyah or ransom/compensation is as Allah said, in Quran, "Fidyatun Ta'amu miskeen" (Surah Baqarah, verse 184) meaning "a ransom/compensation - feeding of a poor person".

So the scholars pointed out that since Allah mentioned feeding, so we should give the fidyah in form of food to the poor person and not in form of money, so long as we can manage this.  Even if it is given to poor in another country due to not finding one in one's place, still you can send money there and they buy food and give food to the poor.

How much food to give?
You feed one poor person, one meal of average/moderate quality food of your place.  So, in Melbourne, there are many food that fit this criteria depending on what food you want to feed the person - arab food, indian type food, european food etc.  If you are feeding in Melbourne to a poor person, then just invite them for food to your house and give feed them one moderate quality meal or at masjid etc.

This is what Anas (r) understood with respect to feeding a poor for missing a fast.  It is narrated that Anas (r) in his old age could not fast, so he gathered poor people, put out a plate and fed them.  Imam Ahmed in one of his sayings on issue of Fidyah said "gather thirty poor people (for missing thirty fasts), feed them once until they are satiated." [Mughni of Ibn Qudamah vol 4, page 384].  You can also give a poor person a dinner of breakfast for one Fidyah.  This is the strongest opinion and Allah knows best. 

Note: For information sake, there is another saying that the feeding of the poor (in kaffarah of breaking fast due to sex) ought to be by giving a poor person one Saa of wheat (some said half Saa of wheat) or half Saa of dates, barley etc of staple food of the country.

If you cannot find a poor person in Melbourne, you can send the required money overseas.  So, if you are sending to Indonesia, for example, send enough money to buy one meal of moderate quality for Indonesia and feed it to one poor person there.  The price of this obviously varies from country to country, so just go by the country you are feeding the poor person in.

Breatfeeding woman does not leave all fasts in Ramadan if she can fast some without harm
Lastly, remember that a breast feeding person, may sometimes be able to fast in Ramadan for a few days without weakening, if that is the case, then she should fast on that many days.  But whenever it is likely to affect her or baby health that is when she should not fast.  Instead she should do qada of that many days at another time, according to the strongest opinion of the scholars in this matter, Allah knows best.

[e1_tea]

jazakallaahu khair...

the answer is very clear and on the target.