84/4. Chapter:
Sahih Bukhari 6711 — Kafarah for Ramadan Mistakes
For expiation one should feed ten poor persons
Kafarah for Breaking the Ramadan Fast: A Hadith of Mercy
Sahih Bukhari : 6711
Sahih BukhariHadith Number 6711
حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مَسْلَمَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، عَنْ حُمَيْدٍ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ جَاءَ رَجُلٌ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ هَلَكْتُ. قَالَ " وَمَا شَأْنُكَ ". قَالَ وَقَعْتُ عَلَى امْرَأَتِي فِي رَمَضَانَ. قَالَ " هَلْ تَجِدُ مَا تُعْتِقُ رَقَبَةً ". قَالَ لاَ. قَالَ " فَهَلْ تَسْتَطِيعُ أَنْ تَصُومَ شَهْرَيْنِ مُتَتَابِعَيْنِ ". قَالَ لاَ. قَالَ " فَهَلْ تَسْتَطِيعُ أَنْ تُطْعِمَ سِتِّينَ مِسْكِينًا ". قَالَ لاَ أَجِدُ. فَأُتِيَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم بِعَرَقٍ فِيهِ تَمْرٌ فَقَالَ " خُذْ هَذَا فَتَصَدَّقْ بِهِ ". فَقَالَ أَعَلَى أَفْقَرَ مِنَّا مَا بَيْنَ لاَبَتَيْهَا أَفْقَرُ مِنَّا. ثُمَّ قَالَ " خُذْهُ فَأَطْعِمْهُ أَهْلَكَ ".
Abu Hurairah Narrated from:
A man came to the Prophets and said, "I am ruined!" The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "What is the matter with you?" He said, "I have done a sexual relation with my wife (while fasting) in Ramadan" The Prophet (ﷺ) said to him, "Can you afford to manumit a slave?" He said, "No." The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Can you fast for two successive months?" He said, "No." The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Can you feed sixty poor persons?" He said, "I have nothing."Later on an Irq (big basket) containing dates was given to the Prophet, and the Prophet (ﷺ) said (to him), "Take this basket and give it in charity." The man said, "To poorer people than we? Indeed, there is nobody between its (i.e., Medina's) two mountains who is poorer than we." The Prophet then said, "Take it and feed your family with it."
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 6711In-book reference : Book 84, Hadith 4USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 8, Book 79, Hadith 702
Summary of Sahih Bukhari Hadith 6711
This narration explains the well-known Ramadan expiation hadith in simple terms. A man came to the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم saying he was ruined because he had relations with his wife while fasting in Ramadan. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم asked whether he could free a slave, fast two successive months, or feed sixty poor people. The man said he could not do these and had nothing. When a basket of dates was given to the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم, he told the man to give it in charity. The man then said that no one between the two mountains of Medina was poorer than his household. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم then told him to take the dates and feed his family. The hadith highlights both the seriousness of the act and the mercy shown to someone in hardship.
What we learn from this hadith
- Breaking the fast in this way is treated as a serious matter.
- The expiation steps are mentioned in a clear order in the hadith.
- Poverty and real hardship were considered in the Prophet’s response.
- Mercy and correction can come together in Islamic teaching.
