Kaffarah

What Does Kaffarah Mean in Detail?

Kaffarah is prescribed in আল-কুরআন and Sunnah for specific violations. The most common types include: Kaffarah for breaking the fast intentionally during Ramadan (freeing a slave, or fasting 60 consecutive days, or feeding 60 poor people — in that order of preference), kaffarah for breaking an oath (feeding 10 poor people, clothing them, or freeing a slave — if unable, then fasting 3 days), and kaffarah for dhihar (a pre-Islamic form of divorce). In the হজ্জ context, the most serious kaffarah applies when a হাজী engages in sexual relations before the standing at আরাফাত, which invalidates the হজ্জ and requires: completing the invalid হজ্জ, performing qada হজ্জ the next year, and sacrificing a camel (or cow or seven sheep). Kaffarah serves both as a deterrent and as a means of seeking Allah's forgiveness for the violation.