Ramadan
Ramadan is likely to start on April 2 Image Credit: Gulf News archives

Dubai: The UAE Fatwa Council has issued a fatwa (religious ruling) unifying the value of Zakat-ul-Fitr (charity for Eid) at Dh25, and a Fidyah (compensation) of Dh15 to be given as food to poor persons by those who are not able to fast due to old age or illness.

The council defines the value of Kaffarah (expiation) for missing fasting at Dh900 – this is the value of food to be given to 60 poor persons.

In Islam, Kaffarah is an atonement for the deliberate invalidation of a fast of Ramadan without a valid Sharia (Islamic law) reason. Kaffarah provides an opportunity to recompense for individuals who deliberately miss or break a fast during Ramadan without a valid reason.

Meanwhile the value of iftar meal (taken to end the day’s fast) is Dh15. Residents can sponsor iftar meals with registered charities who provide iftar meals.

The council also set Dh15 as the value of food to be paid as a Kaffarah for missing a day during Ramadan, to be paid by heirs of individuals who died without making up for missing days of fasting during Ramadan. The amount of food should be given to poor people.

For those who delayed making up the missed fasting days from last Ramadan without a valid reason, the council set Dh15 as the value of food to be given to poor persons, for each missed day.

Those who committed a mistake that does not spoil their fasting will have to feed six poor persons, totalling Dh90 as the value of food to be distributed to six persons.

Kaffarah for breaking an oath is feeding 10 poor persons, meaning Dh150 worth of food.