ACTS THAT NULLIFY FASTING AND REQUIRE QADAA' AND KAFFARAH

Part 9: *** ACTS THAT NULLIFY FASTING AND REQUIRE QADAA' AND KAFFARAH (I.E., MAKING UP THE MISSED DAYS LATER ON AND PAYMENT OF EXPIATION) ARE:

In the previous post,we talked about acts which invalidate fast and requires 'Qadaa' of that fast.Now,we will deal with other topic.

If someone has sexual intercourse with his wife during one of the days of Ramadan whereas both the man and the woman have mutually agreed on having relationships, then both are liable to repent and ask Allah's (swt) forgiveness and make up the missed day, in addition to the payment of expiation of that sinful act unless they were of those who are permitted to break their fast in Ramadan (e.g., travellers).

In case a man has sexual relationships with his wife forcibly then he is required to make such a payment and not the woman. Narrated Abu-Hurairah (radhi Allahu anhu): While we were sitting with the Prophet a man came and said, "0 Allah's Messenger! I have been ruined. " Allah's Messenger asked, what was the matter with him." He replied, "I had sexual intercourse with my wife while observing the fast (Saum)." Allah's messenger asked him: "can you afford to manumit(release) a slave?" He replied in the negative. Allah's Messenger asked him, "Can you observe the fast (Saum) for two successive months? " He replied in the negative. The Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) asked him, "Can you afford to feed sixty poor people?" He replied in the negative. The Prophet kept silent and while we were in that state a big basket full of dates was brought to the Prophet . He asked, "Where is the questioner? " He replied "I am here." The Prophet said to him, "Take this basket of dates and give it in charity." The man said, "Should I give it to a person poorer than I? By Allah there is no family between its (i.e., Madinah's) two mountains who are poorer than I." The Prophet smiled till his Premolar teeth became visible and then said, "Feed your family with it."
Sahih al-Bukhari 2600. Sahih Muslim Book #6, Hadith #2457

Only Sexual Intercourse in the State of Fasting Requires al-Qadaa and al-Kaffarah :

Ibn al-Qayyim writes in Zaadul-Ma'aad (2/60), "The Qur'an(surah Al-Baqarah : 187) shows that sexual intercourse breaks the fast, just like eating and drinking - no disagreement is known concerning this."

Sexual intercourse is the most serious and the most sinful of the things that INVALIDATE THE FAST. Whoever deliberately has intercourse during the day in Ramadaan with his or her own free will, has invalidated his fast, regardless of whether ejaculation(release of seminal fluids) takes place or not. Whoever commits such a sin has to repent, complete that day (i.e., not eat or drink until sunset), perform al-Qadaa and al-Kaffarah.

Meaning of al-Kaffarah and its rulings:

Al-Kaffarah is to pay, in order to gain forgiveness for the sin committed in the state of fasting. This payment should be done in one of the following ways,

1. To set a slave free, if he couldn't find any(as keeping slaves were common during the era of Prophet(sallallahu alaihi wa sallam), then,

2. He should fast two consecutive months; if he couldn't do that, then.

3. He should provide food for sixty poor people on the average scale of that which he feeds his own family.

Al-Kaffarah must be carried out in the same order as mentioned above. It is not permissible to transfer from one state to another unless one cannot afford the previous option.

Allah burdens not a person beyond his scope :

One who has to make al-Kaffarah but is unable to free a slave or fast two consecutive months, or feed the poor - then, nothing is binding upon him, since, Allah, the Most High, says, "Allah burdens not a person beyond his scope." This is also reflected from the above Hadeeth if the person who broke his fast has not any means to pay-off Kaffarah.

*** There is no Kaffarah on the Wife if she was forced.