If you don’t fast for any of the days of Ramadan, you’ll be required to pay a charitable form of compensation. You must pay fidya (fidyah) for fasts missed out of necessity, that cannot be made up afterwards.

What is Fidya?

When someone cannot fast in Ramadan (due to ill health, travelling or menstruation for example) they should make up the missed fasts when they are able to do so. However, if they will not be able to make up missed fasts (due to old age or chronic illness that is unlikely to improve) they should pay fidya for someone else to be fed.

How much do you need to pay?

For every day of missed fasting one has to pay the value of approximately 2kg of wheat. Please consult a local scholar on what the exact amount is in your area.

In the UK this is £5 for each missed fast. This should provide one person with two meals or two people with one meal. If someone misses all the fasts of Ramadan 2024, they would need to pay £150.

How do Islamic Relief use your Fidya donations?

Here at Islamic Relief, we use your Fidya donations to feed those in need.

Every Ramadan, Islamic Relief provides food parcels containing essential items such as oil, flour and dates to vulnerable families across the world.

Many of the people we reach have been affected by disasters and are supported by Islamic Relief’s humanitarian emergency programmes. The food parcels allow them to be better prepared for the month of Ramadan, easing their worries about how to access food with which to start and end their fast.

It enables people to share the blessings of the holy month with families across the globe.