Fidya is the Islamic name for the obligatory charitable contribution made when you cannot fast either through illness, old age or pregnancy and should only be made if you cannot make up your fasts at a later date. Contributing your Fidya for not fasting will feed someone living in poverty twice or help to provide two impoverished people with a meal each.

Kaffarah is the donation made when you deliberately miss or break your fast during the month of Ramadan without a valid reason. Kaffarah is not an obligatory contribution as you can choose to fast continuously for 60 days, although, if you intentionally miss or break another fast, you must begin the 60 days again. The Kaffarah contribution is used to feed 60 people living in poverty.