Which year’s rate would be reckoned for paying Fidya (expiation) of previous year’s fasts?

Darulifta Ahlesunnat

(Dawateislami)

Question

   What do the noble scholars and the jurist of Islamic law say regarding the following matter:

   Our Beloved father passed away 20 years ago. We want to pay fidya [expiation] of the fasts our father had missed during his lifetime, we do not want to do Heela, as we wish to pay the full amount. For this purpose, we require shar’ee guidance from you, as to which year’s Sadaqa fitr rate would be reckoned for paying the fidya? Whether it would be the rate of the year our father had missed the fasts or the rate of this year?

بِسْمِ اللہِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ

اَلْجَوَابُ بِعَوْنِ الْمَلِکِ الْوَھَّابِ اَللّٰھُمَّ ھِدَایَۃَ الْحَقِّ وَالصَّوَابِ

   In the inquired situation, the rate of Sadaqa e fitr of the year, your beloved father had missed his fasts, would be reckoned, the rate of the current year would not be reckoned, because in case of Zakaat, sadaqa e fitr and Kaffaraat, the rate of the day when it becomes wajib, is deemed and not the rate of the day it is paid.

   Regarding the rate of the day when paying Zakaat becomes compulsory, it is stated in Fatawa Alamgiri:

” تعتبر القيمة عند حولان الحول  اذا كان له مائتا قفيز حنطة للتجارة تساوی مائتی درهم فتم  الحول ثم زاد السعر أو انتقص فان أدى من عينها أدى خمسة أقفزة وان أدى القيمة تعتبر قيمتها يوم الوجوب “

[Fatawa Hindiyya, chapter of Zakaat, Al fasl fil ‘uroodh, V-1, P.198, Karachi]

   It is stated in Durre Mukhtar regarding Kaffarah and other matters:

” وجاز دفع القيمة في زكاة وعشر وخراج وفطرة ونذر وكفارة غير الإعتاق وتعتبر القيمة يوم الوجوب “

[Durr e Mukhtar with Raddul Muhtar, Kitabuz zakaat, Baab Zakaat al ghanam, V-3, P.250, Quetta]

   Sayyidi ‘Ala Hazrat, Imaam e Ahle Sunnat Imaam Ahmed Raza Khan علیہ رحمۃ الرحمٰن states regarding the Fidya of Fasts: For paying the Value, the current market rate of the day it is paid, will not be reckoned, rather [the rate of]the day of Wujub [the day it became compulsory, will be reckoned]. E.g. that day, the rate of Half Saa’ was 2 anna [a cuurency unit formerly used in british india] and today its 1 anna so 1 anna won’t be sufficient, paying 2 anna will be compulsory and if the value [back then] was 1 anna and currently it is 2 anna, then paying 2 anna is not necessary, 1 anna is sufficient.[Fatawa Razawiyya, V-10, P.531, Raza Foundation, Lahore]

وَاللہُ اَعْلَمُ عَزَّوَجَلَّ وَرَسُوْلُہ اَعْلَم صَلَّی اللّٰہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّم

Answered By: Mufti Muhammad Qasim Attari

Ref No: Aqs -1841

Date: 12 Zeeqada-tul-Haram 1441/4th July, 2020