Al-Kaffarah


Al-Kaffarah is a term in Islamic law meaning the expiation of sin, or more specifically “to compensate for commissioning a sinful act or what is paid to redress an imbalance that is a kind of penalty or punishment.” Examples of sinful acts include violating Ramadan fasting, violating ihram restrictions in Hajj, consciously hurting a person or animal. Examples of expiation of them include fasting for two consecutive months, freeing a Muslim slave, paying for food to feed 60 poor people, slaughtering a goat.
Kaffarah is similar to two other Islamic obligations/punishments: diya and fidyah. Kaffarah resembles diya in that the perpetrator of the sin is often paying something of value in punishment, but unlike diya, the money does not go to the victim as compensation. Kaffarah resembles fidyah in that they both often involve recompense for the breaking of religious obligations, but fidyah compensation is lighter because fidyah only involves situations where a Muslim was unable to fulfill the obligation unintentionally or for reasons beyond their control.

Etymology

The root of Al-Kaffarah is , which means covering. In Quran, Kaffarah as a kind of worship is the way that Allah ignores sins and covers them.
Kaffarah literally means "a trait that tends to the expiation or atonement of sin". In practice, it means a determined penalty that is done expiation for sin.

Types

Kaffarah is a special sanction to compensate for committing a sin, unintentional murder, or other offense. According to the Quran and Hadith, Kaffarah is classified into the following categories:

Unintentional murder and semi-unintentional murder

In Islamic law, a person who committed the unintentional murder must release a slave or a fast of two consecutive months and pay Diya unless murder's family forgive him. Kaffara is the expiated treat for crimes while blood money, as the social function is paid to the relative of the dead, the definition describes the relationship between the offender and dead.

Fasting

Someone breaking a fast, or not following it from its inception, or having sexual intercourse with their spouse during it, without a reason accredited by Sharia is required to pay Kaffarah. The first payment method is to release a slave, and if that is not possible, a person should fast for two successive months, or feed sixty poor people.

Oaths

If someone breaks an oath, paying Kaffarah is necessary. In this case, Kaffarah could include:
  1. Feeding ten poor people
  2. Dress up to them
  3. Releasing a slave
  4. Fasting three days

    Hajj

Anyone who violates Ihram restrictions in Hajj, must pay Kaffarah.
In this situation, Kaffarah respectively includes:
  1. Three days of fasting
  2. Feeding sixty people
  3. Slaughtering a goat or even carrying out a badnah
  4. Sadaqah

    Zihar

was a method of divorce used frequently by pagan Arabs. If someone does Zihar then returns to his wife, he must pay Kaffarah. In this situation, Kaffarah includes:
  1. Fasting for two successive months
  2. Feeding sixty poor people