Fatwa ID: 08261
Answered by Alimah Maryam Badshah
Question:
By the will of Allah subhanaoo taala, my wife passed away on Eid night, 1st Shawwal. She done namaz as long as she managed to do. But last few months she wasn’t capable physically and mentally. She told me to pay Fidya if she did miss any salat. We eat chapati flour which costs 75 pence a kilo. Should I pay the value of the chapati flour or I pay the the same amount as Fitra which is 5 pounds per person? I want to pay as soon as possible, insha’Allah.
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer:
Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’oon, may Allah (swt) grant you sabr and your wife jannatul firdows.
After the deceased’s funeral expenses and debts have been paid, Fidyah can be given as compensation for any fardh acts that were not discharged before the deceased’s death. It is a form of rectification that can be performed when a person’s Islamic duties have been left incomplete.
The Fidyah for salah and fasting is to give a poor and needy person the amount of Sadaqatul Fitr for each act missed. The amount of Sadaqatul Fitr is half a ṣā’a of wheat, or one ṣā’a of dates, raisins or barley, or its equivalent in value. A ṣā’a is a volumetric measurement that is equal to 4 madd, and a madd is the amount held in 2 cupped hands. One ṣā’a is approximately 3kg.
As chapati flour (atta) is finely milled wholewheat flour, you would need to give half a ṣā’a per salah missed. As the recipients of your wife’s Fidyah may not be able to buy chapati flour at the same price you have at their location, it would be better for you to either personally hand out the flour or its worth to the needy persons in your area, or if you wish to delegate the distribution of the Fidyah, to give the £5 per salah. For salah, it should also be kept in mind that the Fidyah for Witr salah is separate from the 5 daily prayers, this means that 6 Fidyah are given for each day of salah missed.
Only Allah (عز و جل) knows best.
Written by Alimah Maryam Badshah
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham
References:
[1]
التَّرِكَةُ تَتَعَلَّقُ بِهَا حُقُوقٌ أَرْبَعَةٌ: جِهَازُ الْمَيِّتِ وَدَفْنُهُ وَالدَّيْنُ وَالْوَصِيَّةُ وَالْمِيرَاثُ
Al-Fatāwa al-Hindiyyah (Vol.6, pg.447, Dār Al-Fiqr)
(وَلَوْ مَاتَ وَعَلَيْهِ صَلَوَاتٌ فَائِتَةٌ وَأَوْصَى بِالْكَفَّارَةِ يُعْطَى لِكُلِّ صَلَاةٍ نِصْفَ صَاعٍ مِنْ بُرٍّ) كَالْفِطْرَةِ (وَكَذَا حُكْمُ الْوِتْرِ) وَالصَّوْمِ، وَإِنَّمَا يُعْطِي (مِنْ ثُلُثِ مَالِهِ)
Raddul Muhtār (Vol.2, pg.72-3, Dār Al-Fiqr)
[2]
(التَّرْتِيبُ بَيْنَ الْفُرُوضِ الْخَمْسَةِ وَالْوِتْرِ أَدَاءٌ وَقَضَاءً لَازِمٌ)
Raddul Muhtār (Vol.2, pg.65, Dār Al-Fiqr)
وَالْحَاصِلُ أَنَّ مَا كَانَ عِبَادَةً بَدَنِيَّةً فَإِنَّ الْوَصِيَّ يُطْعِمُ عَنْهُ بَعْدَ مَوْتِهِ عَنْ كُلِّ وَاجِبٍ كَالْفِطْرَةِ وَالْمَالِيَّةِ كَالزَّكَاةِ، يُخْرِجُ عَنْهُ الْقَدْرَ الْوَاجِبَ وَالْمَرْكَبُ كَالْحَجِّ يُحِجُّ عَنْهُ رَجُلًا مِنْ مَالِ الْمَيِّتِ بَحْرٌ.
Raddul Muhtār (Vol.2, pg.427, Dār Al-Fiqr)
يُطْعِمُ كُلَّ مِسْكِينٍ نِصْفَ صَاعِ بُرٍّ أَوْ صَاعِ تَمْرٍ أَوْ شَعِيرٍ أَوْ قِيمَتَهُ، وَإِنْ أَعْطَى مَنًّا مِنْ بُرٍّ وَمَنَوَيْنِ مِنْ تَمْرٍ أَوْ شَعِيرٍ جَازَ لِحُصُولِ الْمَقْصُودِ كَذَا فِي الْكَافِي. دَقِيقُ الْبُرُّ وَسَوِيقُهُ مِثْلُهُ فِي اعْتِبَارِ نِصْفِ الصَّاعِ وَدَقِيقُ الشَّعِيرِ وَسَوِيقُهُ مِثْلُهُ كَذَا فِي الْجَوْهَرَةِ النَّيِّرَةِ.
Al-Fatāwa al-Hindiyyah (Vol.1, pg.513, Dār Al-Fiqr)
