Does the unorganized distribution of meals to the poor, which resulted in uncertainty as to whether every poor person received their full meal, suffice as expiation for delaying the making up of Ramadan fasts?
Whoever delays making up for missed Ramadan fasts without a valid excuse until the next Ramadan begins, then, according to the majority of scholars, must make up for those fasts and pay an expiatory feeding (fidyah) of one poor person for each day. However, the more authoritative opinion (al-rajih) is that the fidyah is not obligatory, but giving it as a precaution is good.
For the feeding, it is sufficient to give half a sa' of wheat or rice, or to provide lunch or dinner for a poor person. It is not a condition for the number of poor people to match the number of days; rather, it is permissible to give it to a single poor person. It is not permissible to give money instead of feeding.
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
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