Kaffarah

The month of Ramadan has arrived again, a time for reflection and spiritual growth for Muslims around the world. In addition to fasting during Ramadan, one of the important Islamic practices is called kaffarah – a payment made to repent for missing or breaking a fast without a legitimate reason.

Kaffarah is an Arabic word meaning “atonement” or “compensation”. According to the teachings of Islam, if someone misses or breaks a fast in Ramadan without a valid reason, they must atone for it by freeing one slave if possible; if not, they must fast continuously for 60 days. If neither of these options are feasible then they must give charity in order to compensate. The 2023 kaffarah rate in the UK is £5 per person, amounting to £300 for each intentionally broken fast.

Kaffarah serves as an important reminder of how powerful God is and our responsibility to be mindful of our actions. It also serves as a way of showing appreciation and respect for the sacrifice that people make during Ramadan. By giving kaffarah we are recognizing that we have broken our obligation and trusting God will forgive us if we give money in compensation. Giving kaffarah also helps us to become more conscious about our actions and motivates us to strive harder towards self-improvement and attaining spiritual rewards from God.

Kaffarah is just one part of Ramadan but it can have very powerful effects on us all spiritually and emotionally. So let’s try not to miss or break any fasts during this holy month, but if we do then we should remember the importance of kaffarah – a payment made out of respect and trust in God that He will accept our repentance when we give charity on behalf of ourselves or others who have fallen short in their religious obligations during this sacred month.